Press Release: National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Honors Former President William J. Clinton

President Clinton receives Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award.

On Thursday, March 31, 2005, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) honored former President William Jefferson Clinton at its annual awards dinner in Arlington, Virginia.

President Clinton was given the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind for his leadership in addressing the global HIV/AIDS pandemic through the William J. Clinton Foundation.

As candidate for President in 1991, William J. Clinton repeatedly called for all-out efforts to “turn back the tide of AIDS.” As President, he led the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Under President Clinton, the U.S tripled funding for international AIDS programs in just two years – to $466 million in FY 2001 – for prevention, care and treatment, and health infrastructure. In addition, President Clinton signed an Executive Order in May 2000 to help make HIV/AIDS-related drugs and medical technologies more affordable and accessible in beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries.

Since leaving the White House, President Clinton has continued to expand efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and has focused on strengthening care and treatment programs to developing countries. The William J. Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (www.clintonfoundation.org) has been a major player in making low cost, high-quality AIDS medicines and diagnostic tests available in the developing world.

Today, 40 million people are infected with HIV worldwide and 25 million have died from AIDS. It is estimated that another 45 million will die by 2010 unless immediate and decisive action is taken. Many of the world’s poorer countries have neither the funds nor the public health resources to carry out effective diagnostic, care, and treatment programs and provide the antiretroviral (ARV) therapies necessary for treating AIDS. The problem is so severe that it affects the economic and political stability of the countries involved. It is in response to this challenge that President Clinton has made the HIV/AIDS Initiative one of the most important programs of the William J. Clinton Foundation.

The Clinton Foundation has sent teams of expert volunteers to affected countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean to help national governments develop comprehensive HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention plans that can dramatically increase the numbers of people being treated for the disease. “The goal is to help build systems and infrastructure needed to provide treatment of the millions of people living with HIV/AIDS and who currently go untreated,” said Helene Gayle, MD, MPH Director, HIV, TB and Reproductive Health of the Global Health Program, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Former President Jimmy Carter, who nominated President Clinton for the 2005 Humanitarian Award, said: “The Clinton Foundation assists health leaders in these countries in implementing modern business procedures and protocols for the management of drug storage, tracking and distribution, and information sharing. In addition, with the collaboration and cooperation of a variety of government and non-governmental organization, the Clinton Foundation is facilitating a process to share data, experiences and resources. Equally impressive has been Bill Clinton’s commitment to personally negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for the provision of low-cost AIDS drugs to those most in need but least able to afford them Through his efforts triple-drug therapy will be available for about 38 cents a per day. His leadership will yield enormous benefits.”

President Clinton has negotiated with five pharmaceutical companies — one in South Africa and four in India — to provide high-quality, low-cost AIDS drugs to developing countries. The Clinton Foundation has also made agreements with five medical equipment manufacturers to provide diagnostic tests at significantly reduced prices.

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