TORONTO — The Bush administration has come under attack at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto for tying millions of dollars in U.S. funding to the teaching of sexual abstinence in poor nations, a policy that activists said is causing harm instead of saving lives. But the criticism Aug. 14 was countered by former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft Chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates, who both praised President George W. Bush for his $15 billion, five-year commitment to fighting the AIDS epidemic that has killed 25 million people and infected 40 million others worldwide.
Clinton said research has shown that abstinence can be part of the prevention picture but that “abstinence-only programs will ultimately fail.” Clinton, whose foundation is spending millions of dollars to get lower-priced AIDS drugs to poor nations, said on balance, Bush has “done a terrific amount of good” by providing “a massive amount of money” to the AIDS fight.
Gates, who plans to spend billions of dollars on AIDS research and treatment through his foundation, said the $15 billion in U.S funding represents the largest single pledge ever made to fight the staggering epidemic. Gates said the U.S. program is now supplying antiretroviral drugs to more than a half-million people in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. “This is a basic story of success,” said Gates. “It is an incredible program.” (TAB)
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