World AIDS Day Universal Access Action Kit

[Guest guest]

::sorry for cross-postings, please forward::

Dear Friends-

Below is a link where you can go to download an exciting kit that has

details on actions that local groups can take to pressure elected

officials to meet their commitments to universal access to treatment.

The kit is the combined work of many organizations working on domestic

and global treatment access. Please let me know if you'd like to get

involved in these actions, which are happening in dozens of locations

around the country.

You can download the kit at:

http://www.fightglobalaids.org/resources/files/WAD2006/jointWADkit.pdf.

Email me if you would prefer to be emailed the kit.

We have 4 treatment-related demands:

¡ü $8 billion over 5 years in new money to fund the training and retention

of the African healthcare workers that will be needed to reach Universal

Access by 2010.

¡ü $2.6 billion in funding for the White CARE Act for treatment and

care to people living with AIDS in the US, in BOTH rural and urban areas.

¡ü Trade rules that promote access to AIDS medicines and an end to

bilateral

free trade agreements that put big pharmaceutical interests ahead of those

living with HIV/AIDS.

¡ü Full funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria-at

least

$766 million this year from the US.

We are encouraging people to go directly to their elected officials,

and make demands of them. Possible actions include fax-blasts, phone

zaps, and rallies with many different flavors and shticks. But they

are all unified around the above demands, helping to amplify and unify

our message. Please join us in taking action on World AIDS Day, and

demanding that our elected leaders keep their promises to achieve

universal access to treatment in the US and around the world!

Again, please go to

http://www.fightglobalaids.org/resources/files/WAD2006/jointWADkit.pdf

to download the kit.

Kaytee Riek

Health GAP and ACT UP Philadelphia

PS- if you'd like to sign on the the statement below, you can email

2006WADaction@... by Nov. 17th.

--

Please join us in taking action toward real, substantive change this World

AIDS Day. Groups around the country will be working together to make this

happen-to sign up and join, email Kaytee at kaytee.riek@... by Nov

17th, 2006. We ask those who sign on statement to work with us to take

action on these issues as part of a week of action and to include the

messaging of this statement events and press work. We will work together to

craft at least a shared paragraph for everyone's World AIDS Day press blitz

that will connect us together, highlight that local actions are part

of scores of actions across the US, and highlight our joint asks of

the president and congress.

******************************************

CALL TO ACTION ON WORLD AIDS DAY 2006:

Week of Action & Rally in DC for Universal Access to Treatment Now!

******************************************

A year and a half ago leaders of the world's most powerful countries

gathered at the G-8 summit and promised Universal Access to AIDS Treatment

by 2010. Since then there has been little action toward committing the new

resources and policies to reach that goal. Some progress is being made, but

still only 1.6 million people have access to treatment-and we're nowhere

near on track to reach the 10 million we will need to put on treatment by

2010. Meanwhile, we're losing ground on effective HIV-prevention

programs!

With 40 million people infected world-wide, and 14,000 newly infected every

day, HIV/AIDS is the worst epidemic in human history:

* Over 8000 people still die from AIDS every day

* More than 6 million people are in need of urgent treatment and 10

million will be by 2010

* Less than 5% of HIV positive children receive treatment

We demand Action TODAY from US government officials, G-8 and other world

leaders on funding, healthcare workers, and trade policies that contribute

to- rather than working against- reaching Universal Access by 2010 for those

living with HIV/AIDS here in the US and around the world.

***WE DEMAND***

¡ü $8 billion over 5 years in new money to fund the training and retention

of the African healthcare workers that will be needed to reach Universal

Access by 2010.

¡ü $2.6 billion in funding for the White CARE Act for treatment and

care to people living with AIDS in the US, in BOTH rural and urban areas.

¡ü Trade rules that promote access to AIDS medicines and an end to

bilateral

free trade agreements that put big pharmaceutical interests ahead of those

living with HIV/AIDS.

¡ü Full funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria-at

least

$766 million this year from the US.

Adequate health care workers and full funding for programs is essential to

combat many growing threats, including TB in HIV-positive patients (TB is

the largest killer of those with HIV/AIDS and is growing increasingly drug

resistant). Trained healthcare workers are also an essential component to

building effective interventions against the gender-based violence deeply

linked to HIV--preventing many women from negotiating safe sex and keeping

many from seeking testing, treatment, or care.

Millions of lives can be saved if the US government acts immediately. We

call on President Bush and Members of Congress to meet these basic demands

today to reach the global promises we've already made.

**WHAT YOU CAN DO**

1) Week of Action at Home: During the week of World AIDS Day (Nov 27-Dec 1)

take the message to your local member of Congress¡Ä deliver a giant

letter,

walk in to the local politician's office and tell them that you will hold

both them and the president responsible for keeping their promises and call

on them to fund a new major healthcare worker initiative. To find out more

email 2006WADAction@....

2) Come to Washington, DC: On the afternoon of DECEMBER 1st local activists

will rally outside the White House to make our demands crystal clear and

highlight the underlying realities that have contributed to the AIDS

epidemic in Africa and here in our nation's capital where the rate of new

AIDS cases is 12 times the national average. Contact Sara Renn at SGAC

(srenn@...) for more information.

******

Join us--email kaytee.riek@...

******

ACT UP NY

ACT UP Philadelphia

American Medical Student Association

Center for Health and Gender Equity

DC Fights Back!

Global AIDS Alliance

Global Justice

Health GAP

Housing Works

Priority Africa Network (PAN)

RESULTS

Student Global AIDS Campaign

Universities Coalitions for Global Health

_____________

Kaytee Riek

202-302-7237

kaytee.riek@...

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_____________

Kaytee Riek

202-302-7237

kaytee.riek@...