Early this morning, members of the Student Global AIDS Campaign met outside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. to “wake up” Senator Frist to the global AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria crisis. Armed with a megaphone, a giant paper-machê coffee cup and alarm clock, and roughly thirty cups of coffee, the students individually marched on Frist’s office in the Hart Senate Building. They each carried a cup of coffee, a signed statement explaining their cause, and a short leaflet containing speaking points. As they arrived at his office in ten minute intervals, they presented the secretary with the coffee and papers, then implored Senator Frist to “Fully fund the Global Fund,” referring to the United States’ commitment to 1/3 of the funding for the GF. They also mentioned that, in the ten minutes since their last cup of coffee, 150 people had died of AIDS, TB, and malaria worldwide.
As the coffee kept coming in, Frist’s secretary grew more and more frustrated, until she accosted one of the students. Among her comments, she asked if the group realized that Senator Frist was a doctor. Many of the GWU students in the group, upon hearing of this, remembered comedian and Daily Show host Jon Stewart’s recent appearance at their school, in which he mentioned that Senator Bill Frist had said he was “unsure” when asked if one could contract AIDS from tears. Stewart then proceeded to enlighten the audience, saying that “The only way you can get AIDS from tears is if the tears come from your cock.”
The group urged Senator Frist to add $100 million in funds from the Labor-HHS Spending bill and another $150 million in emergency spending—money that could come from the $7 billion recently appropriated for a flu epidemic, as the Global Fund is designed to strengthen national healthcare systems.
The leaflet passed out detailed some likely benefits of the $250 million requested:
Distribution of over 1.5 million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect pregnant women and their children from malaria.
Purchase of 375,000 treatments for malaria.
Provision of 200,000 DOTS treatments for TB.
HIV Testing for almost 1 million people.
Provision of ARVs for AIDS treatment for 27,500.
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