Clinton Foundation pledges $10 million for pediatric HIV/AIDS treatment in 10 nations

NEW YORK (AP) _ Former President Bill Clinton announced Monday that his foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative is pledging $10 million to deliver treatment to 10,000 children in at least 10 countries by

Monday, April 11th 2005, 1:09 pm

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Former President Bill Clinton announced Monday that his foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative is pledging $10 million to deliver treatment to 10,000 children in at least 10 countries by the end of the year, part of an effort to reach more than 60,000 youngsters by the end of next year.

``The world cannot continue to turn its back on these children,'' Clinton said. ``Together we can save millions of lives.''

Under the initiative, the medicine will reach China, the Dominican Republic, Lesotho, Rwanda, Mozambique and Tanzania this spring. Clinton also said his foundation will expand its HIV/AIDS program in Rwanda.

About 15,000 to 25,000 children are currently receiving treatment against the virus that causes AIDS, nearly half of them in Brazil and Thailand, Clinton said at a news conference in his Harlem office.

The William J. Clinton Foundation is working with UNICEF and other organizations to expand the program to reach more than 60,000 children by the end of 2006.

The Clinton Foundation partners with more than a dozen countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Working with individual governments, the foundation provides technical assistance and mobilizes human and financial resources. It also provides access to HIV/AIDS drugs and diagnostics that are 50 to 90 percent lower than market rates. Approximately 40 countries are purchasing medicines and tests under the Clinton Foundation's agreements.