se been infected during this period. In addition, through PEPFAR support, more than 4.2 million men have undergone voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), which dramatically reduces the likelihood of acquisition of HIV – and PEPFAR is on track to reach the President’s goal of delivering VMMC to 4.7 million men by the end of 2013.
As President Obama said on World AIDS Day, “The United States will remain the global leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS.” That same day, President Obama reaffirmed this commitment by signing into law the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013, which reauthorizes the program for another five years. But the United States cannot win this fight alone. Achieving an AIDS-free generation is a shared responsibility and all partners have a role to play. As we enter PEPFAR’s second decade, countries are stepping up their leadership of national responses like never before, and we are witnessing unprecedented coordination with the Global Fund, UNAIDS, civil society, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and other partners. This collective embrace of country-led responses allows all partners to invest their respective resources in the most complementary and synergistic manner possible for maximum impact.
The strength of global partnerships was seen again last week, when the United States had the distinct honor of hosting the Global Fund’s Fourth Replenishment Conference in Washington, D.C. The United States is proud to be the Global Fund’s largest donor. In his World AIDS Day address, President Obama announced that America will continue its historic commitment to the Fund, pledging to seek up to $5 billion from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2016 as a matching contribution of $1 dollar for every $2 dollars contributed by other donors. This challenge pledge will remain open for some months, and we urge other donors and partners to increase their support and not leave U.S. money on the table.
As I reflect back on the events of this remarkable week, the one word that comes to mind is ‘inspired’. As individuals, we should be inspired by how far the world has come in just a decade, turning what was once a death sentence into a life with hope. As a nation, we should be inspired and proud of the leadership role our country has played in helping to bring the world to this point. And as a global community, we must be inspired by the fact that an AIDS-free generation is truly within our reach.
About the Author: Deborah von Zinkernagel serves as the Acting U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.