Bill Gates Pledges $750 Million to Fight World AIDS

Posted by Tom Thayer in News, World

Jan
27

Microsoft chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates pledged a further $750 million to The AIDS fund on Thursday and urged governments to continue their support to save lives. “These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world’s poorest,” he said at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The public-private organization, which has the backing of celebrities like rock star Bono, accounts for around a 25% of international financing to fight HIV and AIDS, as well as the majority of funds to fight TB and malaria.

Recently it has been forced to cut back and said last year it would make no new grants or funding until 2014. Gates, however, played down the problem and praised the fund’s transparency, which he said had exposed corruption problems that might well have remained hidden at other organizations.

“If you are going to do health programs in Africa you are going to have some percentage that is misused,” he said. Recent scientific studies have shown that getting timely AIDS drug treatment to those with HIV can significantly cut the number of people who become newly infected with the virus, increasing the case for maximum access to drugs.

The World owes thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for continuing to fight the deadly diseases that face this world.

Tom Thayer

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bill-gates-pledges-750-mln-troubled-aids-fund-092549198.html