[Peace-discuss] Fwd: US/Africa: When Mr. President Came Shopping

[Al Kagan]

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>AFRICA ACTION
>Africa Policy E-Journal
>July 19, 2003 (030719)
>                    
>US/Africa: When Mr. President Came Shopping
>(Reposted from sources cited below)
>
>With President Bush back from his whirlwind Africa trip, the $15
>billion he repeatedly took credit for is still as hard to find as
>the elusive weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. His pledge in the
>State of the Union message came to 32 words, twice the 16 about
>African uranium now under such intense scrutiny: "I ask the
>Congress to commit $15 billion over the next five years, including
>nearly $10 billion in new money, to turn the tide against AIDS in
>the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean."
>
>In fact, the President has asked Congress for less than $2 billion
>to be spent in 2004 for all AIDS programs worldwide, with a token
>$200 million for the cash-starved Global Fund to Fight AIDS. And he
>has proposed the creation of a cumbersome new bureaucracy headed by a
>drug-company executive before any new money can be spent. Meanwhile,
>existing programs to save lives are starved for resources. The
>evidence for misleading hype in the President's AIDS promises is in
>plain sight, and requires no new intelligence reports. As yet there
>is no widespread call for a commission of inquiry into who lied. But
>high expectations aroused by repetition of the $15 billion mantra are
>more than matched by deep skepticism as to whether the President will
>deliver on his promise "to prevent 7 million new AIDS infections and
>treat at least 2 million people with life-extending drugs" within the
>foreseeable future.
>
>This posting contains three statements from African AIDS activists
>released during and after the President's visit, beginning with a
>account by one of the HIV-positive women who was part of President
>Bush's photo-opportunity in Abuja, Nigeria, and continuing with
>statements from Zimbabwean and Ugandan activists. All originally
>appeared in the Nigeria-AID eForum, which is available at
>http://www.nigeria-aids.org
>
>Another posting today contains updates on the current funding
>status of the Global Fund and of the President's bilateral plan.
>
>+++++++++++++++++end summary/introduction+++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>Rolake Nwagwu
>Treatment Action Movement (TAM) Nigeria
>Email: rolakenwagwu at yahoo.co.uk
>
>July 16, 2003
>
>Posting on the Nigeria-AIDS eForum,  a project of Journalists
>Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria. For more information see:
>  http://www.nigeria-aids.org
>View message archives at http://www.nigeria-aids.org/eforum.cfm
>Contact the eForum moderator at: moderator1 at nigeria-aids.org
>
>A journalist asked me what it felt like to shake the hands
>of the most powerful man in the world, the President of the
>United States of America, President George Walker Bush.
>
>Man, I have refused to take a bath since Saturday! God
>forbid that I wash these hands before I get to my bank to
>withdraw a million naira. Then, I must take these hands of
>mine to the American embassy on Walter Carrington Crescent
>to get that almighty American visa, and when I'm asked that
>question that makes those of us living with HIV
>uncomfortable, the question that says: Do you have an
>infectious disease of public health significance?  I will
>simply stretch out my right hand and say  I just got a
>presidential handshake from your president .
>
>Most importantly, I must run on Tuesday morning to the HIV
>clinic to see my doctor. I can't afford meds because four
>years ago I was put on a drug trial for six months with no
>counseling. I couldn't even finish the trial because I had
>no money to pay, and I was not totally compliant. Now, I
>need to access drugs but I don t qualify for the first line
>regimen, as I'm not drug naive. I must have at least
>N37.000 monthly ($300) if I m to start ARV therapy. That
>being the case, I'll take the hands he shook and the
>$15 billion promissory note he gave to the doctor and all my
>drug needs shall be met - Amen!
>
>The journey to this handshake was hilariously maddening. We
>were told the issue to be put on the front burner is PMTCT.
>[prevention of mother-to-child-transmission]. The last time I
>checked, when any group or body claimed to have a PMTCT program, it
>usually meant VCT [voluntary counselling and testing] + ARV +
>infant formula milk. With my dear people, it could mean VCT +
>referral to the-yet-to-start Nigerian Government Nevirapine + 6
>months exclusive breast-feeding! This PMTCT initiative needs to be
>applauded and for that we dressed up, sang and shook hands with Mr.
>President.
>
>When the opportunity came to table our issues, it was
>denied us because according to the organizers, there was no
>time and only five people could talk to him, one of whom
>was a representative of positive women. The only thing
>she's expected to do is give her testimonial and get the
>heck off. She had just two minutes and she had to read a
>testimonial rather than place our issues on the table. 
>
>What George Bush wants to listen to is your testimonial.
>He already knows the issue and has heard your voice, which
>is why he is making this visit. President Bush is not
>comfortable with speeches and talks. That sounds to me
>like if all I have is two minutes, he'll rather hear the
>stigma and pains I have to endure than the issues I expect
>his visit to address.
>
>Now, Bush has come and gone and I' m left here in Nigeria
>with USAID. PMTCT is the reason for which we went to Abuja
>and comprehensive PMTCT program is what we expect. Since
>Mr. President knows what my issues are and came to Nigeria
>to address them, I want to see a model USAID PMTCT site
>that commits to VCT, ARV and infant milk. Anything short of
>that is a farce and totally unacceptable. The fall out of
>the Bush visit shouldn't just be the sale of Nigerian gas
>and growing genetically processed and patented crops like
>was done in India, otherwise, we'll be tempted to think the
>President just came a-shopping.
>
>You might ask why the American President should be the one
>to talk to about my concerns and not my own government.
>Sadly, there was no Nigerian government delegate who met us
>with President Bush, but my thinking is that if America
>says she is committed to fighting AIDS in Africa, then the
>right things should be done at the right time in the right
>way. Don't claim to commit to PMTCT if you won't make ARVs
>available. Don't claim to support Africans using generic
>drugs if you go on to try enforcing the same laws that will
>make getting generic drugs almost impossible.
>
>Don't claim to be against stigma and discrimination of
>PLWHA if your staff members still screen their domestic
>workers for HIV and visa lottery winners are compelled to
>take HIV tests without their informed knowledge or consent,
>without voluntary and confidential counseling. When their
>HIV test results gets to the US embassy first. When they do
>not get to see the results of tests they paid a fortune for
>in highbrow hospitals. I wanted to table our issues before
>the American President because I believe that you must say
>what you mean and mean what you say.
>
>So, when Bush came shopping in Africa, he talked about
>America's commitment to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa. He's
>gone round five beautiful African countries, made promises,
>ate dinners, watched dances and posed for photographs. The
>only group that had audience with him was positive women.
>Neither the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in
>Nigeria (NEPWHAN) nor the Civil Society Consultative Group
>on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CISSGHAN) got an audience. I was
>ready to take the next flight home when the entire charade
>was fast turning into a farce, but I figured this was the
>only opportunity to say my piece, so I dressed up, fell in
>line, said my piece and came back home.
>
>Thanks President Bush for standing there, listening to us,
>hearing our voices, talking to us and assuring us that all
>our concerns will be met and addressed. We look forward to
>your fulfilling the very many promises you made to us.
>
>Thanks most especially to the 15 most beautiful women in
>Nigeria and dear Sisi who agreed that we all should
>individually one-on-one tell President Bush what our
>concerns are, namely:
>
>1. The lack of funding for the Global Fund
>
>2. Lack of infant milk for our babies
>
>3. Lack of ARVs for our children and us
>
>4. Lack of drugs to treat opportunistic infections
>
>5. Efforts to prevent us from infecting our babies but none
>to stop these same babies from becoming orphans
>
>6. Making true the commitment of $15 billion promised to
>Africa
>
>7. Committing to putting pressure on the almighty
>pharmaceutical companies of the west to bring down the
>prices of drugs and
>
>8. Stopping the stigma and discrimination that denies us
>access to unrestricted travel
>
>I'm however not sorry that I became  the spirit of
>distraction  who wouldn t allow things run as the powers
>that be wanted it to, neither am I sorry that I refused to
>sing and dance for President George Bush.
>
>I almost forgot to add the fact that my beautiful face was
>seen all over the world on CNN, all over Nigeria on NTA and
>my flat-mate in South Africa even saw me on SABC! You see
>comrades from across Africa and all over the world who
>wrote protest letters, called press conferences and even
>went on protest marches never got seen nor mentioned on
>CNN, but we know that they got seen and heard where it
>matters most: in history, in our hearts and in the world
>security monitoring devices.
>
>I am looking forward to the recorded hand shake and
>presidential photographs putting drugs in my body,
>preventing me from passing this dreaded virus on to my baby
>and putting the much needed infant milk on my table seeing
>as I cant breast feed!
>
>Vive PATHAM!
>
>**********************************************************
>
>STATEMENT OF ZIMBABWE ACTIVISTS ON HIV & AIDS ON PRESIDENT  BUSH'S
>VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA
>
>9 July 2003 [posted 11 July on Nigeria-AIDS eForum]
>
>Tapiwanashe Kujinga (Spokesperson)
>Zimbabwe Activists on HIV & AIDS
>Phone: 263 20 67874; Cell: 263 11 413 487
>Email: tapiwa68 at hotmail.com
>
>Zimbabwe Activists on HIV & AIDS is an activist organisation formed
>in January 2003, and its vision is the attainment of universal
>HIV/AIDS treatment in Zimbabwe. The formation of ZAHA was in
>response to the grim realities of the dire situation in Zimbabwe
>where the pandemic has now reached disaster proportions, and is now
>the leading cause of death in the country.
>
>Whilst we applaud President Bush's visit to this part of the world,
>his stance and commitment to HIV/AIDS treatment, as well as his
>US$15 billion financial package to help with treatment in Africa
>and the Caribbean, we are also painfully aware that Zimbabwe is not
>listed as a recipient of the President's philanthropy. We are in no
>doubt of the fact that the exclusion of this country is linked to
>the  relentless and persistent human rights abuses in this country,
>and the explicit demands by Washington that democracy and good
>governance be restored.
>
>It is apparent that the President's mission to South Africa has a
>heavy bias on engaging President Thabo Mbeki to commit himself to
>Washington's agenda vis-a-vis Zimbabwe's political situation, but
>apparently nothing on helping Zimbabwe combat the HIV/AIDS
>pandemic.
>
>We want President Bush to know that, as much as we have a political
>problem, we have a bigger HIV/AIDS problem in Zimbabwe. We have an
>infection rate of 34% of the adult population; we have a death rate
>of at least 500 deaths per day from AIDS-related illnesses, and our
>life expectancy is now perilously low at less than 40 years. An
>estimated 2,3 million people are infected, including about 240 000
>orphans, and about 600 000 of these are in need of antiretroviral
>therapy. Only 1% of these are on the therapy. For the rest, the
>cost of the therapy is simply beyond their reach and is therefore
>not an option.
>
>We also want President Bush to know that, as much as Zimbabweans
>have had to endure the current economic and political challenges,
>people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS have borne the brunt of
>this terrible situation. The current drought has worsened their
>plight and robbed them of the nutrition that they desperately need
>to boost their immune systems. The political situation, which the
>President is most concerned about, has severely affected them as
>they are in no way to defend them in this violent atmosphere. The
>Zimbabwean Government, currently facing severe economic challenges,
>has not taken concrete steps to enable PWA's to access treatment,
>and this situation is likely to persist for as long as the
>necessary resources are outside of its reach. If no immediate
>intervention programs are launched to target the 99% who are not on
>antiretroviral therapy, the death rate will certainly reach
>genocide proportions.
>
>Finally, we want President Bush to know that the people infected by
>HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe are not the authors of the status quo, and
>ought not to be excluded from any treatment initiatives meant to
>alleviate the plight of other PWA's in Africa and the Caribbean
>merely because of Government-to-Government hostilities. Whilst he
>has made his position on our President clear, he certainly has no
>beef with the hundreds of thousands who are suffering and who
>urgently need help. There is no reason why they should not be
>included in the US$15 billion facility, which will enable them to
>access treatment and restore their lives, their dignity and their
>hopes.
>
>It must be noted that other non-governmental organisations have
>taken steps to introduce HIV/AIDS treatment, including
>antiretroviral therapy, in Zimbabwe, despite the adverse
>conditions. SAfAIDS has launched a crusade aimed at ARV awareness
>in Zimbabwe, and several mission hospitals like Luisa Guidotti in
>Mutoko have started dispensing the therapy. Private companies like
>De Beers and Delta Corporation are giving the drugs to their
>employees. Family Aids Caring Trust, the largest Aids Service
>Organisation in Zimbabwe, has launched an access to treatment
>project called LIFE Project, which will also be dispensing ARV
>drugs in and around Mutare. However, given the absence of
>substantial funding and long-term sustainability, these projects
>are likely to benefit a few out of the hundreds of thousands in
>need.
>
>We trust that the President will put Zimbabwe on his map on
>HIV/AIDS intervention, and make a difference in the lives of
>countless infected and affected Zimbabweans.
>
>************************************************************
>
>SPARE OUR DRUMS: BUSH TOUCHES DOWN AMIDST WAILING NOT DANCING
>
>Milly Katana 
>Lobbying and Advocacy Officer (HAG)
>Health Rights Action Group, Uganda
>
>[posted on Nigeria-AIDS eForum]
>
>Today, July 11, 2003 President Bush, leader of the United States of
>America the wealthiest nation in the world, steps foot at Entebbe
>International Airport. On this day when President Bush arrives,
>18,000 people are estimated to die from AIDS in Africa alone.
>
>In African tradition an important visitor is welcomed with drums,
>dancing and singing. However President Bush, arrival will be
>received with mothers wailing for the loss of their children:
>adults and infants to AIDS and toddlers to Malaria.
>
>Hence, President Bush's visit is the only opportunity through which
>USA has to deliver on the AIDS Emergency Plan which is now over 6
>months old and no single life is known to have been saved by it.
>
>We call upon President Museveni to take his counterpart to some
>graveyards of children who have died of AIDS. These have died
>because we are too poor to give them life saving drugs, which cost
>less than $1 per day. No cover up this time. President Bush has
>come to see for himself the disaster a preventable terror has
>caused to Uganda, a country with the largest number of AIDS orphans
>in the whole world.
>
>We also request President Museveni to use this opportunity to
>indeed lead the way by advising President Bush that the struggle
>against AIDS is a concerted, one which calls for all tools to be
>drawn at the same time, not only abstinence as it portrayed as the
>cause of the so called Uganda's success story.
>
>With his tears rolling, President Bush should leave Africa with the
>$3 billion cheque for 2004 to fight AIDS signed, with an immediate
>plan to put more money into the Kofi Annan Global Fund. The Fund
>now lacks only $600 million to meet the financing obligation of an
>estimated 100 programs from about 60 countries from all over the
>world to respond to AIDS, TB and malaria.. Nothing is beyond the
>authority of President Bush in the world.
>
>The President by a phone call can ask Congress for even a billion
>dollars for the Global Fund in emergency funding. The Global Fund
>has proved itself to be the most economical and demand driven
>process of getting hope to the lives of individuals and families
>who have been rendered helpless by diseases.
>
>Using the WHO estimates, 3 million of the 42 million people living
>with HIV/AIDS in the world need treatment in the next three years.
>In Uganda, with an estimated 1.5m people living with HIV/AIDS,
>approximately 105,000 Ugandans living with HIV/AIDS will need
>treatment in the next 3-4 years.
>
>Using the offer of CIPLA Company of an annual cost of $600  for
>treating one person, President Museveni needs $63 million per year
>to treat his nationals living with HIV/AIDS and save them from
>preventable deaths. Therefore, if President Museveni got a cheque,
>or a firm promissory note of $315 million, he would be able to
>disable the "mustard seed" that is just ready to grow into another
>"beautiful green" AIDS epidemic in a country that is celebrated for
>having conquered AIDS.
>
>This is not a visit of looking good, but displaying the evil
>disease has caused to Uganda and Africa in general. It is a visit
>of acting good and bringing smiles to the cheeks of youngsters
>whose lives will be spared from AIDS through sustainable prevention
>and educational efforts. It is visit of bringing hope to the aging
>who will look forward to their children to put them to rest not
>vice versa. To frontline workers, it is a visit for transforming
>the AIDS response in Africa.
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
>
>Date distributed (ymd): 030719
>Region: Continent-Wide
>Issue Areas:  +US policy focus+ +health+
>
>************************************************************
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu