Global health efforts a casualty of across-the-board cuts under 'sequester'

Apr 11 2013

"The across-the-board cuts under the 'sequester' will undermine efficient programs, along with the inefficient. One unfortunate casualty is spending on global health efforts," a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial says. Noting the sequester as well as "the budget introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan [R-Wis.], who chairs the House Budget Committee," would reduce funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the editorial continues, "Any cut to the fund -- the largest supporter of programs to fight those diseases -- is unacceptable. Since it started in 2002, the fund has saved millions of lives in Africa, Asia and Latin America." Highlighting the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), the newspaper says "support for the Global Fund should actually be increased." The editorial concludes, "Today, the fight against TB requires a renewed commitment to the Global Fund" (4/9).