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9598: Cong. Carrie P. Meek addresses Congress on AIDS & AID in Haiti (fwd)
From: MKarshan@aol.com
One Minute Statement of U.S. Rep. Carrie P. Meek
re: HIV AIDS Crisis and Haiti
Mr. Speaker, according to the World Bank, more than half a million people are
living with HIV/AIDS in the Carribean region and the prevalence among adults
ages 15-49 has reached two percent. In Haiti, the situation is dramatically
worse. Estimates reach as high as 12 percent for the urban population and 5
percent for the rural population.
The epidemic has spread beyond the high-risk population to the general
population. The challenge for the region is to learn from the experience of
African countries and act decisively to prevent the epidemic from spreading
further. HIV/AIDS is more than just a health problem, it is a major
development challenge. The AIDS epidemic is placing tremendous burdens on
health care systems and on the labor force. Today 83% of AIDS cases in the
Carribean are in the age group 15 to 54 years- the labor force.
Mr. Speaker, a regional strategic plan is in place to reduce the spread and
impact of the epidemic in Haiti and throughout the Carribean, but Haiti
desperately needs the financial support of the United States, the World Bank
and the international community to implement it.
Mr. Speaker, Haiti has made considerable progress politically. It is now
meeting virtually all of the conditions established by the United States for
receipt of further financial aid. We must not allow technical barriers to
stand in the way of addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in Haiti. Haiti needs our
help and it needs it now. Let*s do the right thing and help Haiti address the
suffering caused by HIV/AIDS. end
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