Your show on AIDS was very interesting to me as a citizen activist who has worked for many years on issues of hunger and poverty. The terrifying increase in AIDS has made that disease one of the primary poverty issues in the world today. Based on my own experience with this issue I felt that your show left out some important points.

First, the Bush administration's AIDS initiative, while a welcome change in policy, is aimed at only 15 countries. In contrast, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has funded programs in 129 countries. The administration's bilateral AIDS programs omit completely some of the world's extreme danger spots, such as Russia, China and India, where AIDS is poised to explode. Further, while President Bush promised to spend $15 billion on AIDS over the next five years, the money has been slow in coming - we are hearing that in these first years the programs need to "ramp up", and that in subsequent years spending will increase. The problem with that is that people are dying while programs are being readied, and the numbers infected continue to grow alarmingly. It would be far better, and far more cost effective in the long run, to be putting money NOW into the Global Fund, where it can be speedily placed into effective programs on the ground, rather than re-creating programs of our own. Moreover, the Bush budget calls for far less funding for the Global fund in the upcoming fiscal year than was allocated by Congress last year. The effect of this would be to cut off life-saving medicines and programs already in place - surely a heartless and cruel thing to do. We can and must do better. History will judge us.

Heidi, On aides, I missed the show to which you were refering, however you mentioned some devastating diseases; Malaria, TB, aides, etc.. You failed to mention a more devastating disease caused by a mere bacteria. Leprosy is caused by Mycobacteria leprae. Yes, it is still prevelant in the world today. More so in the more indigen countries, e.g. India, China, etc.. The reason being is characteristic of the bacteria replication time. 12 to 24 days just to replicate one time! Unlike the E. Coli in our gut which replicates every 20 minutes. Due to its lengthy replication time, things need be discusting for along time. This bacteria still can not be cultured yet, and only kept in few living armadillos. Both remaining leprosariums in the United States have been closed, Carville, LA, and one Hawaiian island several years back! Maybe our country need look/research our own health problems first, rather allocating $$$$$$ to save the world's people/problems. Yes, Leprosy is a world ptoblem, but let's just solve it through reseach/studies, then let those countries affected by whatever the "plague" may be, e.g. malaria, aides, leprosy, etc.., pay for the "cure" WE HAVE DISCOVERED! The United States has rapidly become, "The savior of the WORLD" trying to pick up another by their boot straps. But if they can not stand on their own, once we (United States) have picked them up, Why continue to hold on?

Aids is a huge issue that isnt being handled right. To many other things are goin on and no one is really focusing on aids, yea bush said he is gonna help, but he is kinda busy with his war, so we'll see if aids stricken people will recieve help from the u.s. . We need to stop global aids before the whole entire human race is wiped out, people are aware, but they dont take it serious, no one ever thinks hey i could get aids but they can. so we need to start being safer and wiser about the activities we are inviolved in. we dont need to keep spreading aids to younger and younger generations. OUr policy should be complete awareness to everyone eerywhere and more involvment in stopping the widespread disease.

Aids is such a widespread harmful disease. As americans we should be doing our part to try and contain the disease and finally to abolish it. In America we never even take the time to let the thought of aids cross our minds, but in many other countries it's all they think about. It's basically their life, they are stuck constantly worrying about the effect it is having on their bodies. We should be doing more to help all the people that are dying everyday from the terrible disease.