His "deeply troubling, gut-wrenching" trip to southern Africa in August showed Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) the importance of acting quickly but wisely in spending U.S. dollars to battle AIDS there.

DeWine's Sept. 2 speech on the Senate floor followed his trip to Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) led the delegation of six senators; they met with government officials and with citizens who are among the millions affected by Africa's HIV/AIDS crisis.

Congress has approved President Bush's plan to spend up to $3 billion a year for five years battling AIDS in Africa. Congress is expected to approve about $2 billion to be spent in 2004.

"As we start to plan how to spend this significant amount of money, we are at a very critical stage," DeWine said. "It is very important that this be done right and that it be done quickly because millions of lives are at stake."

DeWine said better medical training for front-line doctors and nurses is needed, as are ways to supply clean water to villages and medical facilities and to help those with AIDS die with dignity.

Eliminating the stigma attached to HIV is key to more effectively preventing people from contracting it and detecting and treating those who are infected, DeWine said.

"We need to move quickly," DeWine said. "Time is not on our side. ... We need to do all we can to address the human tragedy of global AIDS. We have the ability to ease this suffering, and it is our moral obligation to lead this fight."

Back to other news for September 8, 2003

Search the Newsroom archive