April 5, 2006
U.S. Focus on Abstinence Weakens AIDS Fight, Agency Finds
By CELIA W. DUGGER
Insistence by Republican Congressional leaders that American money to fight the spread of AIDS globally be used to emphasize abstinence and fidelity is undercutting comprehensive and widely accepted aid models, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Tuesday.
The report by the G.A.O., an investigative arm of Congress, examines the effect of a mandate from Congress that at least a third of United States money to prevent the spread of AIDS worldwide be devoted to sexual abstinence and fidelity programs.
It found that the provision had limited the reach of broader strategies to fight AIDS that include the use of condoms — a conclusion strongly contested by a senior Bush administration official.
( ... but nobody believes the dubya admin anymore on anything )
The report also said the requirement had meant that officials in some countries have had to reduce spending on programs to prevent the transmission of H.I.V. from women to their newborn babies, as well as other prevention strategies. "It is hampering their ability to implement key elements of the widely accepted model of H.I.V./AIDS prevention — the ABC approach," said David Gootnick, the main author of the report. ABC stands for abstain, be faithful or use condoms.
The new emphasis on abstinence and fidelity emerged in 2003 from the House International Relations Committee as it debated President Bush's $15 billion, five-year AIDS program. Since then, financing for AIDS prevention programs has increased sharply, from $207 million in 2004 to $322 million this year.
The report is based on interviews with United States officials carrying out American-financed AIDS programs in 15 countries, mostly in Africa. They were guaranteed anonymity to encourage candor.
( ... rove/delay spread their lies while hammering anybody who speaks the truth. )
American officials told Congressional investigators that the guidelines were at times ambiguous and confusing. The rules on abstinence and fidelity, they said, have made it more difficult for them to tailor programs to local needs.
Some officials said that although activities to promote condom use have been restricted, they did not understand the distinction between condom education and condom promotion, "causing uncertainty over whether certain condom-related activities are permissible," the report stated.
Dr. Mark R. Dybul, the deputy coordinator of the federal AIDS program, strongly disagreed. He said the program was carrying out a balanced effort that includes all the elements of ABC, a strategy that successfully reduced H.I.V. infection rates in Uganda. The guidelines are generally clearly spelled out, he said.
More broadly, he said, Congress's requirement has brought about what he called a needed shift of emphasis to include abstinence and fidelity, saying that earlier programs had been overly focused on condoms.
But condoms have not been neglected, he said. The number distributed at United States expense has risen during Mr. Bush's years in office, to 429 million last year from 348 million in 2001, federal figures show.
In a statement on Tuesday, Representative Henry J. Hyde, the Illinois Republican who heads the House International Relations Committee, said no report was needed "to uncover the fact that country teams may be resistant to change, and that some adjustment time would be needed to implement new requirements."
Representative Tom Lantos of California, the ranking Democrat on the same committee, differed.
"While this was obvious to those of us who do not have ideological hang-ups, the reality was that only a compromise would fly," he said, referring to the 2003 debate in Congress.
Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company
Very difficult topic. Christian sexual morality, although right in my view, is difficult to attain. When failing to change the minds of millions, when it comes to sexual behavior, results in the spread of a deadly desease such as AIDS, a compromise has to be reached.
Well, you know, we should never spend money teaching people how to prevent disease. We should only spend money to treat them after they've already contracted one.
LOL!
Christians are killing people because they are trying to HELP in a way that YOU say is wrong.
Niiiiiice!
I hear you Des and I'm with you. All I'm saying is that changing one's sexual behavior can be very difficult. Therefore, of you are not going to change your sexual ways then at least use the necessary protection which stops the spreading of AIDS.
"trying to HELP in a way that YOU say is wrong."
They aren't try to help people, they are pushing an ideology that prevents aid to people, resulting in those people dying.
Live OUR way, and we'll give you aid, or you die.
Smug, self-sastisified holy-roller-pretenders in Congress under the grip of similar smug, self-sastisified holy-roller "Christians" wanting poor Africans to stop being promiscuous is as realistic as trying to get poor Muslims to embrace democracy and somehow take power from the corrupt rulers in their countries.
Are you serious?
boutons you would be a lot happier in a straight jacket on lithium.
Sec24Row7, you'd be a lot better without the microcephaly
Is that what makes you post most of this ranting bull ?
A neurological disorder?
I certainly know I would be a lot happier if you would stop.
This isn't the "political forum"
It has turned into the nbadan and boutons Bull flinging box.
Of course not! Guess I used sarcasm in the wrong thread again today.
Personally I don't understand how anybody can have unprotected sex in this day and age and I myself, as a liberal, will push abstinence to my two daughters above all else. NOTHING except abstinence can prevent it. I don't trust any condom although I used them before I got married and still sometimes worried about catching some disease.
When in heat cover your meat!!
Good luck with that. Im not trying to be rude AT ALL when I say that either. I seriously mean it.
Im 26. 8 years ago, I was a senior. The high-school kids these days were raised on the rush of the internet. Its starting to seriously reflect in their habits.
Example; just yesterday my girlfriend told me about the senior class in our old high school. They were having a photo done for prom. One of the things that had to be asked of the students was to please keep your clothes on(???). We are talking about a group of 20 or so 18/17 year old kids who cant keep their tuxes/dresses on long enough before the "urge to merge" takes over. This all happening in the same room.
Wasnt like that for me or my friends. How things change in such short order.
I blame the "internets".
----------------
Thats just one story of many. We have alot of co-op kids come in and out of work. They have stories. Their stories have made me seriously reconsider ever having children. I am not the type of person to be swayed by sociologcal trends either. Its just, from my experience, so ing prevelant in everyday life in school (certain clothes mean certain things sexually, certain piercings, specified parties, etc).
Its all really disgusting if you ask me and has made me almost certain I never want children. I know, first hand, there is no such thing as control without confinement. I am not going to have children then imprison them. I can raise them with all the morals and understanding in the world. I would be viewed the same exact way as any other parent. Youre not cool. Youre not young. You dont understand. I would either fail at parenting, or kill the mother er for being so stupid. Either way, I lose.
---
Africa. We are talking about people who dont have indoor plumbing and yet youre telling them dont have sex?! Yeah...ooooooooook....because they have soooooo many other forms of entertainment, what with all the trees and water and people and animals and *ZzzzzZzzzzZzzz*.....
Last edited by DarkReign; 04-05-2006 at 12:40 PM.
"I don't understand how anybody can have unprotected sex in this day and age"
Try "anybody" in Africa, etc for a dose of reality.
The African middle classes, the only hope for Africa, have been destroyed by AIDs.
And now there are millions for kids as AIDS orphans.
When I was in Jamaica in Feb, I chatted with 2 girls about 19, 20 over a meal. I was very impressed with the schooling that had received about AIDS and condoms, etc. Very impressive since the main way, often ONLY way, these young, poor girls get a hold on life is snagging a man, like most women world-wide.
Don't you know, it is the Government's responsibility to prevent STD's. Having
sex (especially in the butt) is a God given right and no one should interfer with
that right. Just spend more money looking for a cure, don't blame them for their
conduct. Right boutons? It's all Bush's fault. Right boutons?
No, it's the fault of idiots like yourself who love it up the ass so much you voted for Dumbya again.
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