Editor:
The school buses are running again in Canmore and our children are happily and safely back in school for another year.
School restarting reminded me of a statistic I had read recently which stated the number of children in the world who die each year from AIDS is the equivalent of 5,100 school buses crashing with no survivors; more than all the children who live in Calgary. This shocking statistic begs the question – what can we in Canada do?
A big part of the response can be found in the Global Fund.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is widely regarded as one of the most effective and efficient funding mechanisms for combating these deadly, yet preventable diseases. Since 2002, the Global Fund has supported programs that have treated 4.2 million people living with AIDS, 9.7 million people suffering from TB and provided 310 million insecticide-proofed bed nets to prevent malaria.
We are at a turning point now where we can finally control these diseases with continued funding.
Canada is a leader in supporting the Global Fund and a model for other countries. In the last round of funding, we pledged $540 million over three years. As Canadians, we can be proud of our contribution of close to $1.6 billion in the Fund’s first decade.
The Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN) is dedicated to changing policies in Canada that will improve the lives of the grandmothers of Africa and the children in their care.
GRAN is encouraging the Canadian government to continue its support of the Global Fund and to pledge $750 million at the Replenishment Conference in November 2013.
The U.S. has pledged up to $5 billion to the Global Fund. Australia and the U.K. have also pledged to increase funding.
I encourage you to write to Minister Christian Paradis, Minister of International Cooperation and our local MP Blake Richards at the House of Commons, Ottawa, Ont., K1A 0A6 (postage free) and voice your support for Canada’s proud leadership role in the Global Fund and to encourage continued and increased funding for the next funding period.
Hilary Eade,
GRAN Canmore and Banff
