U.S. Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS, President's Budget, FY 2011 (Kaiser Foundation)

[pinto]

The Kaiser Family Foundation is a great resource for health care data, analysis, research and targeted overviews.

This is their "fact sheet" on the Federal HIV/AIDS budget request from the Administration. Included is an overview of funding from 2006 through this request. Generally, the budget is organized into five broad categories - care, cash and housing assistance, prevention, research and global/international.

I didn't catch the recent action of AIDS activists at an Obama public appearance, but read here that funding for Global AIDS programs was one point of the protest. So I went to the data.

Under the 2011 request, funds for international programs were targeted at $6.7 billion, up slightly (+2.2%) from 2010's $6.6.

Within that category there were some significant re-allocations. 100% of the Dept of Defense's allocation was removed, the Global Fund was cut 5% and the State Dept's Global AIDS Initiative was increased 4%. The GAI has some detractors.

Protest here may have been about the reapportionment from the Global Fund to the Global AIDS Initiative.

Big picture - The Administration's overall request was an increase of 4.6% - from $26 billion to $27.2 billion.

http://www.kff.org/hivaids/upload/7029-06.pdf

[The Philosopher]

1. It's important

That AIDS be fought with every tooth and nail we got, and then some. But it's not exclusive to the LGBT community. I think that not only disrespects us, but also everyone else who suffers from the disease and its effects, to choose that as your answer to LGBT protesters. Anyone who lived in the early days of AIDS knows the complete ignorance that even the doctors had and this reminds me of it. Not entirely, mind you, but enough.

[USArmyParatrooper]

2. Also, since when is AIDS a gay disease? That thinking is so 1980.

RE: The last thread on the subject who referred to the protesters as "gay" activists.

[Liberal Veteran]

3. One thing that I wish would happen is the end of ALL waiting lists in the US for meds.

It may sound a bit harsh and honestly we have the money to do both, but if we are going to increase spending for AIDS, our first priority should be health care of our own who have this virus.