Podcasts about aids relief

On this episode of 1050 Bascom, we were honored to welcome Ambassador John E. Lange, a distinguished diplomat, global health leader, and proud alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over his 28-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Lange served in pivotal roles, including U.S. Ambassador to Botswana, Special Representative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, and Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator at the launch of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.His career has taken him from high-level diplomatic negotiations to frontline crisis leadership. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 2009, Ambassador Lange continued his commitment to global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation, where he has worked to advance global health diplomacy, pandemic preparedness, and disease eradication initiatives.In this episode, Ambassador Lange shared insights from his diplomatic career, his work in global health, and the importance of public service in addressing global challenges. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Ambassador Lange and learned so much. We hope you will too.

“If a person is entrusted to care for a building and decides to tear it down, there's a moral imperative to disclose whether there are people inside. There are 20.6 million people and 566,000 children living inside PEPFAR.” PEPFAR is the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. And as of March 25, 2025, its congressional reauthorization has expired. For more than two decades, its website states, “the U.S. government has invested over $110 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history—saving 26 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and accelerating progress toward controlling the global HIV/AIDS pandemic in more than 50 countries.” Now, some estimate that over 20 million people will lose access to antiretroviral drugs, which may result in up to 1,650,000 deaths over the coming year. In this episode, Mark Labberton speaks with Mindy Belz, an award-winning journalist and longtime war correspondent, to explore the urgent moral and humanitarian implications of PEPFAR's uncertain future. Drawing on Belz's deep reporting experience in conflict zones and her time covering global health efforts, their conversation traces the remarkable legacy of the U.S. government's investment in HIV/AIDS relief, the stakes of congressional inaction, and the broader questions this crisis raises about American moral leadership, Christian charity, and global responsibility. Together they discuss: Mindy Belz's background as a journalist and war correspondent The significance of PEPFAR in the global battle against HIV/AIDS The pivotal leadership role the U.S. government has played in supporting AIDS relief efforts for the past two decades The devastating impact that losing PEPFAR would have on human life around the world, particularly in Africa And, perspectives on charity, moral conscience, and faith in American Christianity Helpful Links mindybelz.com Mindy's Article about PEPFAR: “1,650,000: How killing a global program to fight HIV/AIDS kills”: “PEPFAR contracts ended under Trump mean 20 million people on treatment now face HIV disease again. Without more reinstatements that could lead to a death toll of 1.6 million in a year's time.” About PEPFAR, the “President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief”: Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has invested over $110 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history – saving 26 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and accelerating progress toward controlling the global HIV/AIDS pandemic in more than 50 countries. From ThinkGlobalHealth: “PEPFAR Misses Reauthorization Deadline: What's Next for Global HIV Fight?” Mindy's book They Say We Are Infidels: On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East Follow Mindy on X @mindybelz Follow Mindy on Substack: Globe Trot About Mindy Belz Mindy Belz is an award-winning American journalist. For over two decades, she has covered wars and victims of conflict in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Sudan and the Balkans. She recounts some of her experiences in a 2016 award-winning book, They Say We Are Infidels. Her work appears in The Wall Street Journal, Plough Quarterly, and other publications. The New York Times calls her “one of the bravest and best foreign correspondents in the country.” Mindy currently is editor of the 2024 Christianity Today Globe project. Her news roundup, Globe Trot, is read by thousands each week and available on Substack. She speaks internationally and has taught journalism courses in Uganda, India, Hungary, and the United States. She is the former senior editor at World Magazine. A mother of four and grandmother of three, Mindy was married for 40 years to Nat Belz, who died in 2023. She lives in North Carolina. Show Notes Mindy Belz: A Journalist in the Trenches Mindy Belz and her career at World Magazine Mindy's coverage of the AIDS pandemic in East Africa and the war in Sudan The rise of Islamic extremism, Al-Quaeda, and crossing the Tigris into Iraq Her early experiences in journalism and what drew her to war reporting How she came to report from the Middle East and other conflict zones The challenges Mindy faced as a woman journalist “We've all experienced some of the conflict in the world. We've all experienced some terrorism and violence … this is a part of life in a broken and fallen world, and so learning from women, from men, from children incredible resilience in the face of terrible breakdowns is that I just consider a real privilege of my work.” Working with a Sudanese NGO—finding starving people, barely surviving “For Americans, we always get to walk away. I'm really aware in whatever hard situation I'm in, there's little voice at the back of my brain that's saying, ‘Don't forget you get to go home.'” What is PEPFAR? “ President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief,” developed by George W. Bush in 2003 Trendsetting program to battle HIV/AIDS Anti-viral drug program to prevent the spread (but not cure) the disease “We still don't have a real cure for HIV.” “You have 20 million people who are currently taking antiretroviral drugs that are funded under PEPFAR and most of those people just suddenly could not have access to their medicine and, and that means that we are watching even now the disease grow.” “The Trump administration has basically shuttered the program and they have done so without the oversight of Congress.” Nicholas Kristof's NYT March 15 article estimates that 1.6 million people could die over the next year. Link: “Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn't True.” “The scale of the devastation is mind-bending.” What can we do? “Congress is not exercising its oversight responsibilities right now.” “If a person is entrusted to care for a building and decides to tear it down, there's a moral imperative to disclose whether there are people inside. There are 20.6 million people and 566,000 children living inside PEPFAR.” What is the role of our government? “I've also seen PEPFAR working and working incredibly. I routinely and in lifesaving ways.” Understanding moral conscience “We are needing to call our nation not to a Christian identity, which I think is the, the false attempt of Christian nationalism, but to a moral identity. That people of faith, little faith, no faith, other faiths, can enter into and share. And I think some element of that has been operational in the United States for a very long time. And now all of that is being dismantled and being labeled, as you say, by a really cheap word like charity, as though there's no wider frame than simply compassionate sentimentality, as opposed to something that's really taking the moral realities of the world and all of their urgency seriously. And not pretending that we need to be (as we've sometimes tried to be as a nation) the healer of the nations, but to say that we should actually be a force for taking these issues with great national seriousness, and not just repudiating it because it's not inside the boundaries of our own country.” “Use the influence and the economic force of the United States to fund local programs.” “ We have the resources to go and make a difference in this situation. And by doing that we set an example for others to do it.” “We  have adopted an attitude of scarcity.” The impact and efficacy of antiretroviral drugs to improve the lives of people with HIV/AIDS—”To suddenly cut them off is an act of cruelty.” “This is a system, not just medication.” “If we're suddenly saving $5 billion a year, what is that going to be used for?” ”If these things are all happening by executive decision, and Congress does not have a meaningful role, then essentially the people are cut out of the conversation.” “People who become sicker with HIV will become more likely to have tuberculosis, more likely to be suffering from other diseases than side effects of the virus itself.” Where Is God in All of This? “It's a dangerous world. Go anyway.” “We have to trust that the hand of God is there and that it will meet us in the midst of those hard situations.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Jason Cecil - like all of us - is defined by more than just a job; he's a husband, Dekalb County Ethics Board alternate, President of the LGBTQ+ recovery community-serving GALANO Club, to name a few of his attribuets. His job at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) was really important, too, though. Until yesterday, he had been a Public Health Analyst in Global Immunizations since 2003, focusing on polio eradication, measles elimination, and immunization systems strengthening, before a promotion to the CDC division on Global HIV and TB. To hear him tell it, his was the division hit hardest by yesterday's cuts. Remember the DOGE-Elon Musk-Karen Leavitt-Donald Trump lie about $50 million for condoms "to Hamas?" Well, Mozambique in Africa has a Gaza province and none of those intellectual heavyweights distinguished between the two and even the monetary figure (and condoms, altogether) were overblown. It's the division Jason had been working in - global HIV and TB - that all along was " major, multi-pronged effort to address HIV and tuberculosis — not a dump of condoms."Well, Jason's no longer working in a capacity to deliver results for the George W. Bush-launched PEPFAR: the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It was on World AIDS Day in 2022 that Bush returned to Washington (a rarity) to tout the two decades of PEPFAR's accomplishments. Yes, that Bush. Anyhow, Jason was kind enough to join me today to share his RIF experience, reaction, emotions and insights into what being a federal employee in such a necessary agency has been like since Trump was re-elected last November. Were contingency plans being made? Any "offloading" or "lifeboating" of research and data? What was the mood in the hallways like? What's next for career civil servants like him?

On this week's "CBS News Weekend Roundup," host Peter King provides the latest on "Signalgate," which includes a comprehensive report from CBS News White House Correspondent Ed O'Keefe, followed by analysis from CBS News Military analyst, Colonel(ret.) Jeff McCausland. CBS News Moneywatch Correspondent Kelly O'Grady reports on the Trump Administration's 25 percent tariffs on imported passenger vehicles and parts. CBS News Correspondent Anna Coren is in Hong Kong with a report on the 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Myanmar.  The Kaleidoscope segment looks at PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, founded in 2003 by then-president George W Bush, and the challenges it faces because of the DOGE cutbacks. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From August 22, 2023: In 2003, President Bush created the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and in the twenty years since, the program has been credited with saving over 25 million lives and stabilizing health systems around the world. On Sept. 30, 2023, the program will expire if Congress doesn't act, putting millions of people at risk of losing access to HIV/AIDS treatment.Lawfare Associate Editor of Communications Anna Hickey sat down with Emily Bass, a writer and activist who has spent more than twenty years writing about and working on HIV/AIDS. In 2021, she wrote “To End a Plague,” a book on America's war on AIDS in Africa. They discussed how PEPFAR has changed over the past 2 decades, why it is at risk of expiring this fall, and what the expiration would mean for the millions of people who depend on it.We value your feedback! Help us improve by sharing your thoughts at lawfaremedia.org/survey. Your input ensures that we deliver what matters most to you. Thank you for your support—and, as always, for listening!To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce has appealed to the incoming Trump administration to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, and the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, or PEPFA. President of the chamber Sheriff Balogun told VOA's Chinedu Offor, these policies will boost regional economic growth.

About this episode: Now in its 21st year, PEPFAR—the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief which launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush—still has ending the HIV epidemic in its sights. It's now at a critical juncture with an expanding toolbox of exciting treatments and, simultaneously, eroding bipartisan support from Congress. Guest: Dr. Mike Reid is the Chief Science Officer in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir or Daily F/TAF for HIV Prevention in Cisgender Women—The New England Journal of Medicine Why The World's Most Lifesaving AIDS Program is in Danger—Public Health On Call podcast (December, 2023) A Conversation With The Experts on Ending The HIV Epidemic—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on X @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed

The first full day of #aids2024, sees Ben and Jeff reflecting on the some powerful presentations from the opening plenary - all while Yvette is off chairing sessions of her own. Then friend of the pod, Emily Bass joins Ben and Jeff to discuss the perilous state of the largest funder of HIV services - the US tax payer, through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  https://www.iasociety.org/conferences/aids2024 https://www.unaids.org/en https://www.state.gov/pepfar-aids-2024 https://thinkglobalhealth.org https://phc.org.ua/en https://www.tht.org.uk #aids2024 #HIV #diagnostics #treatment #Prevention #PrEP #ARVs #bipartisan #pepfar #protest #puttingpeoplefirst

In the late 1990s, HIV and AIDS was killing people in Sub-Saharan Africa at an astonishing rate. Generations of children were growing up without parents and the workforce of civil society was hollowing out. Drugs effectively treating the disease were just becoming available, and the George W. Bush administration wanted to explore a way to bring treatment to Africa. Anthony Fauci was head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the time, and under near-secrecy, he was assigned to formulate a plan via several fact-finding trips to the continent. When the outline of the program came together, then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist rallied support in congress and led the passage of legislation for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. In today's talk from Aspen Ideas: Health, Fauci and Frist meet on stage about two decades after the start of PEPFAR to tell the story of how it got started and reflect on where it's gone since. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen moderates the conversation. aspenideas.org

Congressional negotiations to reup the law governing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief are at an impasse over abortion. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO global health reporter Carmen Paun about what's going on and what it means for a program credited with saving 25 million lives.

During his leadership of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief during the George W. Bush administraion, Dr. Mark Dybul, M.D. shepherded programs credited with saving more than  25 million lives. For many years after that public service drew to a close, he continued the mission as executive director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria--working in lockstep with not only the world's leading scientists, but the likes of Bono and Sir Elton John along the way. But, it wasn't all glamor and heroics. Dybul had to influence some decidedly conservative global political machines of the importance of addressing the AIDS epidemic, particularly, at the time, in Africa. He had to fight through federal and global beuracracies for every dime of funding earned. His leadership required resolve in the face of complexity and adversity. Nothing could have better prepared him for biotech leadership, which has dealt Dr. Dybul an unfair share of unique adversity that's, quite frankly, the stuff of a Dateline NBC episode. On this epsiode of the Business of Biotech podcast, Dybul, CEO at Renovaro Biosciences, gets introspective on leadership forged in the fires of public service and battle-tested in the private sector.Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

PEPFAR, or the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was initiated by President Bush in 2003 is credited with saving 25 million lives over the past 20 years and remains the largest commitment to a single disease in history. But the global bipartisan program is now at the mercy of American politics. Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Duke Global Health Institute and a member of the scientific advisory board for PEPFAR, returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about why PEPFAR's reauthorization is in jeopardy and what the failure of reauthorization could mean for global health.

Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill that was signed early this year created funding uncertainty from developing partners. Among them is PEPFAR, The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief which has had an unprecedented Global impact in the fight to end HIV/AIDS in more than 50 countries, including Uganda.John Musenze had an exclusive interview with the US Ambassador to Uganda, William W. Popp, about the future of the PEPFAR programme in Uganda.Vision Digital Experience app -- https://newvisionapp.page.link/pB2cMeqXyYWnHX449

The federally funded President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief provides HIV prevention, treatment and education around the world. The program has seen broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for years, but now, a battle led by a small group of House Republicans is putting its future at risk. John Yang speaks with Jennifer Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at KFF, to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The federally funded President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief provides HIV prevention, treatment and education around the world. The program has seen broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for years, but now, a battle led by a small group of House Republicans is putting its future at risk. John Yang speaks with Jennifer Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at KFF, to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Three news stories summarized & contextualized by analytic journalist Colin Wright.GM reaches tentative agreement with UAW, ending six-week strikeSummary: Less than a week after US automaker Ford signed a deal with the United Auto Workers union, General Motors has reportedly reached a tentative agreement with them, as well, potentially ending a period in which the industry was roiled by strikes and uncertainty.Context: This is still just a tentative deal, but it would seem that a 25% hourly pay increase plus cost-of-living allowances may be included in an updated four-year contract, similar to what was agreed with Ford; GM was the last holdout of the three major automakers in the country, and it's been estimated that the company has already lost about $800 million to the strikes, and could rack up another $200 million in losses per week if strike actions continue.—BloombergOne Sentence News is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UN peacekeepers leave Mali in a hurry and under fireSummary: UN peacekeepers, who were in the region to help local governments deal with militant extremist groups, were ordered in June to fully withdraw from Mali by the end of the year, triggering a frantic effort to destroy equipment that might otherwise fall into militant hands and to get everyone out safely.Context: That safety component was made more difficult by the enemies this group has made amongst local militant groups over the ten years or so they've been operating in the region, and by the sheer number of people—around 15,000 soldiers—that require extraction; nearly 6,000 peacekeepers have reportedly been safely withdrawn, so far, thought the extractions have been made more difficult and precarious by the withholding of flight and travel permits by local officials; the Malian government was overthrown by its military in 2021 and is one of several governments in West Africa currently run by military juntas.—Barron'sRepublicans delay more than $1 billion in HIV program fundingSummary: A government program called PEPFAR, short for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, has been held up by Congressional Republicans due to unbacked allegations that some of the resources being divvied out by the program are funding abortions overseas.Context: Pretty much everyone involved with this program has assured lawmakers that the resources PEPFAR provides to healthcare entities is only used to make medicines, testing, and prevention services related to AIDS more widely available, and the program—which was created by then-President George W. Bush in 2003—has been credited with saving more than 25 million lives, costs not quite $7 billion a year, and has typically enjoyed bipartisan support, heralded as one of the most successful medical programs of its kind; PEPFAR can continue to operate without Congress' go-ahead, but details related to its operation—including how terms like “human rights” are used in the document that outlines the program—are being held up by Congressional Republicans, stymying efforts to keep things going.—The Washington PostIf current trends continue, by the 2040s, countries in Africa will account for two out of every five children born on Earth—a stark contrast to the aging populations (and ever-lessening fertility rates) seen in on-average wealthier countries around the world.—The New York Times~4,000Approximate number of electric vehicle chargers around the US (DOE estimates say nearly 4,000, other estimates have been closer to 4,700) that were offline as of early October.That's an outage rate of more than 6%, and it's the consequence of a shortage of technicians certified to work on these sorts of chargers.A lack of functional and reliable charging points is considered to be a significant barrier in consumer adoption of EVs in the US.—Automotive NewsTrust Click Get full access to One Sentence News at onesentencenews.substack.com/subscribe

Concern from some Republicans over abortion — and resurgent skepticism of foreign aid — could severely curb the effectiveness of the AIDS prevention program PEPFAR. Also known as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR is credited with saving more than 25 million lives since it began in 2003.We want to hear from you about the show: npr.org/politicssurveyThis episode: White House reporter Deepa Shivaram, global health correspondent Nurith Aizenman, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Unlock access to this and other bonus content by supporting The NPR Politics Podcast+. Sign up via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Connect:Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.orgJoin the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.

This week, Eric, Emily, and Dylan tackle the Catholic Church Synod on Synodality taking place starting this week at the Vatican. What is the Synod on Synodality all about? What issues facing the Church—the ordination of women, the blessing of same-sex couples, married priests, and more—are on the table? What power does the Synod actually have? And could this Synod have just been an email? Next, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is up for renewal, and there are some conservative lawmakers who don't want to renew it because of concerns over potential funding of abortion. Are those concerns valid? And if so, are they valid enough to scuttle what is largely agreed to be one of the most successfully public health programs in recent memory? And finally, California has raised the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour. What could go wrong? Quite a few things, actually. Say hello to your friendly new robot burger chef!   Vatican Assembly Puts the Church's Most Sensitive Issues on the Table | New York Times A Public Health Setback | New York Times Poverty, Inc. PovertyCure How to Have a Great and Holy Council | Dylan Pahman, Religion & Liberty Online New California law raises minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour, among nation's highest | Associated Press The social responsibility of Chick-fil-A is to make delicious sandwiches | Dylan Pahman, Religion & Liberty Online  

Five Americans detained in Iran are free and on their way to the United States, as part of a US-Iran agreement, which also includes the release of $6 billion in Iranian funds for humanitarian use. Christiane is joined by US National Security spokesperson John Kirby, and later by Jared Genser, who represents former detainee Siamak Namazi. As world leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, they face cascading challenges – from the war in Ukraine to the critical climate crisis. Christiane sat down with UN Secretary General António Guterres. 20 years ago, President Bush introduced one of the United States's most successful foreign aid programs, PEPFAR. The plan for AIDS relief has saved 25 million lives but is now under threat. House Republicans are opposing funding for it, which expires at the end of the month, over abortion politics. Steven Thrasher is a HIV and AIDS scholar and joins the show to discuss the global impact of this relief.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

PEPFAR is an acronym that stands for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It is the largest foreign aid program targeted at a specific disease, and it is widely considered to be one of the most successful US foreign aid programs ever.  George W Bush who started the program in 2003. It continued and expanded under President Obama and even thrived during the Trump years. But today its fate is uncertain. Funding for PEPFAR is provided by congress every five years, and typically this is a highly bi-partisan and wholly uncontroversial affair. It was due to be re-authorized this year -- but with the end of the fiscal year rapidly approaching, this legislation has not gone through.  At issue is domestic politics around abortion. Anti-abortion groups in the United States have falsely accused PEPFAR under the biden administration of somehow indirectly or secretly supporting abortion. This idea has infected Republican politics -- several Republican members of congress who once supported PEPFAR are now preventing a vote on its re-authorization, threatening to undermine what one of these very members of congress once called "The most successful foreign aid program since the Marshall plan." On the line to discuss PEPFAR's history of success and its uncertain future is Gayle Smith, CEO of the One Campaign and former head of the US Agency for International Development. 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of George W. Bush's transformative program to combat H.I.V. and AIDS in Africa, the Caribbean and elsewhere. The left's villain of yesteryear, who was (somewhat) rehabilitated in the Trump era,  and rightly maligned for the disaster that was the invasion of Iraq, Bush also waged a noble war against an epidemic. This ongoing battle is now two decades old, and it has saved 25 million lives. But nothing is sacred in the MAGA tainted GOP. Even the life changing achievement of one of this era's most conservative presidents is apparently now on the chopping block and threatening to be defunded, woefully swept up in the maelstrom of the “own the libs,” anti-“woke” culture wars.Bush's initiative, which is called the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR has funded antiretroviral medicines for people with AIDS and provided substantial resources to prevent the spread of the virus among newborn babies. It's been a heroic success by any reasonable metric. Except if you are a MAGA flame thrower.For those among today's far right saber rattlers, it is believed that the Biden administration has a secret plan to use PEPFAR to promote abortions overseas. Yes, a law which was originally midwifed by evangelical Christians and devout Catholics, and championed by the deeply pro-life George W. Bush is now a clandestine pro -abortion plot. But this is where we are folks. Have a listen to Adam's takedown of this deeply misguided but also life threatening fuckwaddery. Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Or, if you are fed up with Elon's bullshit, hit us up on Threads! There are always shenanigans over on TikTok too…Are you registered to VOTE?

Jirair Ratevosian, a respected & well known figure in the field of global health, is running to succeed the Democrat Congressman Adam Schiff in California's District 30. We explore his decision, the issues facing this Los Angeles community where Jirair grew up, the importance of his Armenian roots - and his thoughts on the funding cliff facing the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. If you want to know more about Jirair's campaign and how you can help, visit https://jirairforca.com https://www.ashotinthearmpodcast.com https://global-listening.org https://www.state.gov/pepfar https://unaids.org/en https://www.who.int #jirairforca #jirair #ratevosian #CAdistrict30 #PEPFAR #armenianamericans #LGBTQI #healthcare #globalhealth #healthequity

In 2003, President Bush created the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and in the twenty years since, the program has been credited with saving over 25 million lives and stabilizing health systems around the world. On Sept. 30, 2023, the program will expire if Congress doesn't act, putting millions of people at risk of losing access to HIV/AIDS treatment.Lawfare Associate Editor of Communications Anna Hickey sat down with Emily Bass, a writer and activist who has spent more than twenty years writing about and working on HIV/AIDS. In 2021, she wrote “To End a Plague,” a book on America's war on AIDS in Africa. They discussed how PEPFAR has changed over the past two decades, why it is at risk of expiring this fall, and what the expiration would mean for the millions of people who depend on it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Godfrey is the senior technical advisor for adult treatment at the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. C. Godfrey and J. Nkengasong. Prioritizing Mental Health in the HIV/AIDS Response in Africa. N Engl J Med 2023;389:581-583.

About 20 years ago, Congress pretty much agreed on one thing: PEPFAR.President George W. Bush introduced the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in his 2003 State of the Union address. Since then, it's been renewed with little fuss every five years. But abortion politics are changing that, Politicians are reacting to allegations that PEPFAR funds are being used to "promote abortion on demand." Congress needs to decide if it will renew the program by the end of September.We discuss PEPFAR and how the politics around the program became so fraught. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

An abortion dispute in Congress threatens to jeopardize the reauthorization of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, credited with saving 25 million lives from the disease in the developing world. Host Megan Messerly talks with Carmen Paun about the debate over whether federal funds should support HIV/AIDS organizations that support abortion rights.

It's Tuesday, June 13th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus.  (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Christian persecution in Tajikistan Persecution against Christian churches is on the rise in Tajikistan.   In May 2022, Sulaymon Davlatzoda, a Tajikistan senior state religious affairs official, told Protestant church leaders that the government would no longer register new churches. Plus, anyone under 18 years of age is prohibited from practicing the Christian faith or taking part in church activities.  America's burdensome debt Does the U.S. government have a big debt problem? In the last 12 months, President Biden has racked up another $2.1 trillion in federal debt. That's up from a $438 billion deficit in 2015 when Barack Obama was president which is a 5-fold increase.   And that's up from a deficit of $22 billion back in the year 1997, when Bill Clinton was president, representing a 120-fold increase.  Regardless of what modern economists say, the wisdom of God in the book of Proverbs reminds us that “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7) Indictment of Trump didn't decrease popularity The present controversies do not appear to be hampering Donald Trump in the Republican race for the presidential nomination. Real Clear Politics has the former president at 53.6% up from 44% back in March.  That's a 31.8% lead ahead of Ron DeSantis. And Joe Biden and Donald Trump are neck and neck on the un-favorability rating — both at 55%. Rick Warren objecting to Baptists cutting ties over women pastors The Christian Post reported on Rick Warren's campaign to allow for women pastors in the Southern Baptist Church. Warren's Saddleback church is appealing the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to cut ties with the church over the issue. Christianity Today claims that 73% of American Evangelicals are okay with women preaching in a Sunday service.  And a recent survey conducted by Lifeway Research found that 55% of Evangelical pastors are okay with women serving as a senior pastor in a church. And the trend continues. Research conducted in 2016 found 21% of professional clergy in the US were women, up from 2.3% in 1960. 57% of Protestant churches prepared for active shooter A Lifeway survey discovered that 57% of American Protestant churches have prepared for an active shooter incident on church premises. And 54% claim to have armed church members as part of the plan. That's up from 45% claiming to have armed church members attending services back in 2019.   However, 21% of  Protestant churches do not allow firearms on church property at all. The survey did not ask if the church was ready for spiritual attacks.  Ephesians 6:13 says, “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” And 1 John 4:4 reminds God's people that “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 100 African leaders to U.S.: Respect our Biblical values Increasingly, African nations are the target of the Western woke, pro-abortion, and anti-family agenda through U.S. foreign assistance programs.   Representing Bethany Christian Services, American Red Cross, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief, Catholic Relief Services, Care USA, Save the Children, and World Vision, an organization called Interaction.org lobbies the federal government for diverting funds towards these types of programs. InterAction explicitly promotes a universal “right” to abortion and increased funding for “women's rights and feminist organizations.” Last week, in light of these Western commitments, more than 100 African parliamentarians and religious leaders from 15 countries sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and House leadership, requesting that Africa's pro-life and pro-family values be respected.   There was special concern about President Biden's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding. The U.S. spends $40-$50 billion per year in foreign aid. Fox News trying to censor Tucker Carlson on Twitter And finally, will Twitter replace Fox News as a go-to for conservative Americans?   Tucker Carlson has topped 115 million Twitter streamings or downloads for his first commentary on Twitter. His second commentary, issued on June 8th, is pushing 55 million. After booting Carlson from their Fox News prime time programming, the self-styled conservative news organization experienced a prime time ratings drop of 37%, according to Deadline.com. Fox News is registering at 1.42 million views now -- down from 3 million when Tucker Carlson was on his game.   Axios reports that Fox News has responded to Carlson's Twitter activity with a cease and desist letter. Carlson's lawyers have responded with this statement: “Doubling down on the most catastrophic programming decision in the history of the cable news industry, Fox is now demanding that Tucker Carlson be silent until after the 2024 election. Tucker will not be silenced by anyone. ... He is a singularly important voice on matters of public interest in our country, and will remain so." Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, June 13th in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Print story CA eager to call parents “abusive” who don't affirm transgender kids California AB 957, now before the State assembly, would amend the code to give the state the authority to remove children from their homes if their parents refuse to “affirm their gender,” reports LifeSiteNews.  Those parents would be categorized as “abusive.” It would also require schools, churches and other organizations to follow suit or face repercussions for 'impacting the health, safety and welfare of [a] child.' Nicole Pearson, founder of the Facts Law Truth Justice law firm, told the Daily Signal: “This is a horrifying bill for children, and for parents and guardians not just in California, but across the country. Gavin Newsom is gunning for president in 2028. If he signs this bill into law, here, it will be headed to every state if he wins.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: How economists got Africa's AIDS epidemic wrong, published by Justin Sandefur on June 10, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. I'm reposting this from the CGDev site, as I thought it might be interesting to EA folks (thanks to Ryan Briggs for the suggestion). For the short version, here's a twitter thread. In the 2000s, cost-effectiveness analysis said it was a bad use of money to send antiretroviral drugs to low-income countries—drugs that ended up saving millions of lives. Twenty years ago, in the same State of the Union speech in which he made the case for invading Iraq, George W. Bush asked Congress for $15 billion over five years for an ambitious new plan to pay for antiretroviral drugs for two million AIDS patients in Africa and the Caribbean. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, went on to become probably the most celebrated American foreign aid program since the Marshall Plan. An evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences estimates PEPFAR has saved millions of lives (PEPFAR itself claims 25 million). Impacts on total mortality rates across fourteen African countries were visible within just the first few years of the program (see figure 1). Separate research suggests the rollout of antiretrovirals, of which PEPFAR was a major component, explained about a third of Africa's economic growth resurgence in the 2000s. Figure 1. Adult mortality in PEPFAR focus and non-focus countries (from Bendavid et al 2012, JAMA) But at the time, some economists balked. The conventional wisdom within health economics was that sending AIDS drugs to Africa was a waste of money. The dominant conceptual apparatus economists use to evaluate social policies—comparative cost-effectiveness analysis, which focuses on a specific goal like saving lives, and ranks policies by lives saved per dollar—suggested America's foreign aid budget could've been better spent on condoms and awareness campaigns, or even malaria and diarrheal diseases. “Treating HIV doesn't pay” In a now infamous op-ed published in Forbes in 2005, before PEPFAR's impacts were well documented, Brown University economist Emily Oster declared that “treating HIV doesn't pay.” “It is humane to pay for AIDS drugs in Africa,” she wrote, “but it isn't economical. The same dollars spent on prevention would save more lives.” In fairness to Oster and others, the phrasing here is important. Her argument was not that African HIV patients' lives weren't worth the cost—that retroviral drug prices exceeded the “value of a statistical life”, as economists might phrase it—but rather that if we take the budget as fixed, and the prices as fixed, the money could do more good if spent on other health programs. Oster wasn't alone. While her delivery was perhaps deliberately provocative, her basic reasoning reflected a broad professional consensus, which viewed antiretrovirals through the lens of comparative cost-effectiveness analysis, and deemed them middling to poor value. A systematic review published in the Lancet in 2002, just as the Bush administration was privately plotting the PEPFAR announcement, found that in terms of saving “disability-adjusted life years” or DALYs, "a case of HIV/AIDS can be prevented for $11, and a DALY gained for $1” by improving the safety of blood transfusions and distributing condoms, whereas “antiretroviral therapy for adults, cost several thousand dollars per infection prevented, or several hundreds of dollars per DALY gained." Figure 2. Cost-effectiveness of interventions related to high-burden diseases in low- and middle-income countries (from Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd ed., 2006) In the 2006 edition of its authoritative volume on Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, the World Bank looked at 60 different health interventions to address “h...

In the 2000s, cost-effectiveness analysis said it was a bad use of money to send antiretroviral drugs to low-income countries—drugs that ended up saving millions of lives.Twenty years ago, in the same State of the Union speech in which he made the case for invading Iraq, George W. Bush asked Congress for $15 billion over five years for an ambitious new plan to pay for antiretroviral drugs for two million AIDS patients in Africa and the Caribbean.The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, went on to become probably the most celebrated American foreign aid program since the Marshall Plan. An evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences estimates PEPFAR has saved millions of lives (PEPFAR itself claims 25 million). Impacts on total mortality rates across fourteen African countries were visible within just the first few years of the program (see figure 1). Separate research suggests the rollout of antiretrovirals, of which PEPFAR was a major component, explained about a third of Africa's economic growth resurgence in the 2000s.Source:https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qyhDz9djZAmxZ6Qzx/how-economists-got-africa-s-aids-epidemic-wrongNarrated for the Effective Altruism Forum by TYPE III AUDIO.---

In this interview, Cynthia Changyit Levin, a mom, author, and member of the ONE Campaign, discusses her upcoming trip to Capitol Hill to advocate for support for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She highlights the importance of bipartisan efforts to fight against AIDS and shares the need to re-energize people's attention to this ongoing issue. Cynthia also expresses her concerns about funding and the potential consequences of neglecting the fight against HIV/AIDS. The interview sheds light on the impact of AIDS on marginalized communities and emphasizes the significance of grassroots activism.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. https://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.distressed.by.attacks.on.christians.in.india/140278.htm Archbishop 'distressed' by attacks on Christians in India The Archbishop of Canterbury has lamented violent attacks on indigenous tribal Christians in north-eastern India. Archbishop Justin Welby said he was "distressed" by the reports of violence coming out of Manipur state in recent weeks. Writing on Twitter, the Archbishop said he was praying that "justice and peace would prevail" in the region. The violence, carried out by Hindu nationalists, has killed dozens and displaced around 10,000 people, mostly Christians. Many churches and buildings belonging to Christians have also been destroyed. The Archbishop said he was praying "that regional authorities would protect all minority groups, including Christians and their places of worship, and that justice and peace would prevail". Open Doors last week shared reports from Christian partners on the ground fear that the violence will lead to a civil war. They have expressed disappointment at what they see as a lack of action by the Indian government and local authorities to quell the violence. According to Open Doors, at least 300 churches have been burned or demolished and 1,000 Christian homes have been destroyed in Manipur in the last few weeks. The NGO is providing support to Christians caught up in the violence but has warned that conditions are "grim", and many are still fearing for their lives. "If the situation continues civil war is inevitable," said an Open Doors partner who cannot be named for security reasons. "If there is a civil war the situation will only become more gruesome, more lives lost, properties destroyed and further open persecution of religious minorities." https://taskandpurpose.com/news/taliban-humvee-m240-iran-fight/ The Taliban is using leftover American gear to fight a border skirmish with Iran A gunfight broke out between Iranian border guards and Taliban fighters along the border between Iran and Afghanistan this weekend. Fighting killed three people in the biggest escalation between the two countries over water. And the Taliban brought out a big gun to help. Video posted to social media offered an up-close view of the skirmish, inside an unexpected place: an Humvee kitted out with an M240 machine gun. If that looks familiar it’s because those are some of the pieces of military equipment captured by the Taliban, now put into use for fighting other parties. Other accounts shared online reported heavy machine gun fire, as well as purported use of mortars and other explosives. Outside of the Humvee, Taliban fighters were spotted using AK-style rifles and RPGs to attack the Iranian position on the border. At least three people are confirmed to have died in Saturday’s gunfight, although accounts vary on how many belonged to each side. The Taliban claimed at least one of its fighters was killed, while an Iranian paper said all deaths were on Iran’s side, per al-Jazeera. The fighting took place in the Nimroz province of Afghanistan. As a result, the border crossing between Milak and Zaranj in Iran and Afghanistan, respectively, closed (it was not where the fighting took place). Both nations accused the other of starting the gunfight. The fighting between the two nations broke out amid political fights over water rights. Drought has been a serious issue in Afghanistan for the last three years. The Helmand River flows from Afghanistan into Iran and is dammed on the Afghan side. Earlier in May, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called on the Taliban not to restrict the flow of water. More than a year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the group is using all kinds of seized American and NATO weapons. It’s not a new development. The Taliban regularly used captured American-provided equipment when fighting the U.S.-backed government. In the later years of the war, special Taliban units were spotted wearing American-style driving Humvees and even wielding weapons belonging to special operations units. During the fall of Kabul in 2021, Los Angeles Times reporter Nabih Bulos captured footage of Taliban fighters in the city dressed like special operations forces. When the U.S.-backed government fell and the Afghan security forces collapsed, the Taliban got its hand on a lot of leftover weapons and equipment. A 2022 report from the Pentagon’s lead inspector general for Operation Enduring Sentinel and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel found that approximately $7.12 billion in equipment was still in the country when the Taliban took over. That included everything from rifles to aircraft. https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/africa-uganda-gay-rights/2023/05/29/id/1121533/ Uganda Signs Anti-gay Law With Death Penalty for 'Aggravated Homosexuality' Uganda's president has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad. The version of the bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni does not criminalize those who identify as LGBTQ, a key concern for campaigners who condemned an earlier draft of the legislation as an egregious attack on human rights. But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people. A suspect convicted of "attempted aggravated homosexuality" can be imprisoned for up to 14 years, according to the legislation. Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among said in a statement the president had "answered the cries of our people" in signing the bill. "With a lot of humility, I thank my colleagues the Members of Parliament for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists in the interest of our country," the statement said. Museveni had returned the bill to the national assembly in April, asking for changes that would differentiate between identifying as LGBTQ and actually engaging in homosexual acts. That angered some lawmakers, including some who feared the president would proceed to veto the bill amid international pressure. Lawmakers passed an amended version of the bill earlier in May. Homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda under a colonial-era law criminalizing sexual activity "against the order of nature." The punishment for that offense is life imprisonment. The U.S. has warned of economic consequences over legislation described by Amnesty International as "draconian and overly broad." The leaders of the U.N. AIDS program, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund in a joint statement Monday said they "are deeply concerned about the harmful impact" of the legislation on public health and the HIV response. "Uganda's progress on its HIV response is now in grave jeopardy," the statement said. "The Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 will obstruct health education and the outreach that can help end AIDS as a public health threat." That statement noted that "stigma and discrimination associated with the passage of the Act has already led to reduced access to prevention as well as treatment services" for LGBTQ people. Anti-gay sentiment in Uganda has grown in recent weeks amid news coverage alleging sodomy in boarding schools, including a prestigious one for boys where a parent accused a teacher of abusing her son. The February decision of the Church of England 's national assembly to continue banning church weddings for same-sex couples while allowing priests to bless same-sex marriages and civil partnerships inflamed many in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa. Homosexuality is criminalized in more than 30 of Africa's 54 countries. Some Africans see it as behavior imported from abroad and not a sexual orientation. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-oversight-committee-taking-steps-to-hold-fbi-director-wray-in-contempt-of-congress-over-biden-document Republicans to hold FBI Director Wray in contempt of Congress over Biden document House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is taking steps to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress after the Bureau notified the panel it will not comply with its subpoena related to a possible criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden. The FBI, though, said Tuesday evening it remains committed to cooperating with Congress, and will provide access to the document "in a format and setting that maintains confidentiality and protects important security interests and the integrity of FBI investigations." Comer, R-Ky., has subpoenaed the FBI for a document that allegedly describes a criminal scheme involving Biden and a foreign national and relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions. The document is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form. Comer first subpoenaed the document earlier this month. The FBI did not turn it over and instead explained that it needed to protect the Bureau's confidential human source program. Comer set another deadline last week, giving Wray until Tuesday, May 30, to turn over the document. After the deadline was set, Wray set up a call with Comer for Wednesday, May 31. However, the FBI notified the panel it would not provide the document to the committee by the Tuesday afternoon deadline. He added, "Americans deserve the truth, and the Oversight Committee will continue to demand transparency from this nation’s chief law enforcement agency." In response, the FBI told Fox News Digital that the bureau "remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith."

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. https://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.distressed.by.attacks.on.christians.in.india/140278.htm Archbishop 'distressed' by attacks on Christians in India The Archbishop of Canterbury has lamented violent attacks on indigenous tribal Christians in north-eastern India. Archbishop Justin Welby said he was "distressed" by the reports of violence coming out of Manipur state in recent weeks. Writing on Twitter, the Archbishop said he was praying that "justice and peace would prevail" in the region. The violence, carried out by Hindu nationalists, has killed dozens and displaced around 10,000 people, mostly Christians. Many churches and buildings belonging to Christians have also been destroyed. The Archbishop said he was praying "that regional authorities would protect all minority groups, including Christians and their places of worship, and that justice and peace would prevail". Open Doors last week shared reports from Christian partners on the ground fear that the violence will lead to a civil war. They have expressed disappointment at what they see as a lack of action by the Indian government and local authorities to quell the violence. According to Open Doors, at least 300 churches have been burned or demolished and 1,000 Christian homes have been destroyed in Manipur in the last few weeks. The NGO is providing support to Christians caught up in the violence but has warned that conditions are "grim", and many are still fearing for their lives. "If the situation continues civil war is inevitable," said an Open Doors partner who cannot be named for security reasons. "If there is a civil war the situation will only become more gruesome, more lives lost, properties destroyed and further open persecution of religious minorities." https://taskandpurpose.com/news/taliban-humvee-m240-iran-fight/ The Taliban is using leftover American gear to fight a border skirmish with Iran A gunfight broke out between Iranian border guards and Taliban fighters along the border between Iran and Afghanistan this weekend. Fighting killed three people in the biggest escalation between the two countries over water. And the Taliban brought out a big gun to help. Video posted to social media offered an up-close view of the skirmish, inside an unexpected place: an Humvee kitted out with an M240 machine gun. If that looks familiar it’s because those are some of the pieces of military equipment captured by the Taliban, now put into use for fighting other parties. Other accounts shared online reported heavy machine gun fire, as well as purported use of mortars and other explosives. Outside of the Humvee, Taliban fighters were spotted using AK-style rifles and RPGs to attack the Iranian position on the border. At least three people are confirmed to have died in Saturday’s gunfight, although accounts vary on how many belonged to each side. The Taliban claimed at least one of its fighters was killed, while an Iranian paper said all deaths were on Iran’s side, per al-Jazeera. The fighting took place in the Nimroz province of Afghanistan. As a result, the border crossing between Milak and Zaranj in Iran and Afghanistan, respectively, closed (it was not where the fighting took place). Both nations accused the other of starting the gunfight. The fighting between the two nations broke out amid political fights over water rights. Drought has been a serious issue in Afghanistan for the last three years. The Helmand River flows from Afghanistan into Iran and is dammed on the Afghan side. Earlier in May, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called on the Taliban not to restrict the flow of water. More than a year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the group is using all kinds of seized American and NATO weapons. It’s not a new development. The Taliban regularly used captured American-provided equipment when fighting the U.S.-backed government. In the later years of the war, special Taliban units were spotted wearing American-style driving Humvees and even wielding weapons belonging to special operations units. During the fall of Kabul in 2021, Los Angeles Times reporter Nabih Bulos captured footage of Taliban fighters in the city dressed like special operations forces. When the U.S.-backed government fell and the Afghan security forces collapsed, the Taliban got its hand on a lot of leftover weapons and equipment. A 2022 report from the Pentagon’s lead inspector general for Operation Enduring Sentinel and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel found that approximately $7.12 billion in equipment was still in the country when the Taliban took over. That included everything from rifles to aircraft. https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/africa-uganda-gay-rights/2023/05/29/id/1121533/ Uganda Signs Anti-gay Law With Death Penalty for 'Aggravated Homosexuality' Uganda's president has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad. The version of the bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni does not criminalize those who identify as LGBTQ, a key concern for campaigners who condemned an earlier draft of the legislation as an egregious attack on human rights. But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people. A suspect convicted of "attempted aggravated homosexuality" can be imprisoned for up to 14 years, according to the legislation. Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among said in a statement the president had "answered the cries of our people" in signing the bill. "With a lot of humility, I thank my colleagues the Members of Parliament for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists in the interest of our country," the statement said. Museveni had returned the bill to the national assembly in April, asking for changes that would differentiate between identifying as LGBTQ and actually engaging in homosexual acts. That angered some lawmakers, including some who feared the president would proceed to veto the bill amid international pressure. Lawmakers passed an amended version of the bill earlier in May. Homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda under a colonial-era law criminalizing sexual activity "against the order of nature." The punishment for that offense is life imprisonment. The U.S. has warned of economic consequences over legislation described by Amnesty International as "draconian and overly broad." The leaders of the U.N. AIDS program, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund in a joint statement Monday said they "are deeply concerned about the harmful impact" of the legislation on public health and the HIV response. "Uganda's progress on its HIV response is now in grave jeopardy," the statement said. "The Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 will obstruct health education and the outreach that can help end AIDS as a public health threat." That statement noted that "stigma and discrimination associated with the passage of the Act has already led to reduced access to prevention as well as treatment services" for LGBTQ people. Anti-gay sentiment in Uganda has grown in recent weeks amid news coverage alleging sodomy in boarding schools, including a prestigious one for boys where a parent accused a teacher of abusing her son. The February decision of the Church of England 's national assembly to continue banning church weddings for same-sex couples while allowing priests to bless same-sex marriages and civil partnerships inflamed many in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa. Homosexuality is criminalized in more than 30 of Africa's 54 countries. Some Africans see it as behavior imported from abroad and not a sexual orientation. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-oversight-committee-taking-steps-to-hold-fbi-director-wray-in-contempt-of-congress-over-biden-document Republicans to hold FBI Director Wray in contempt of Congress over Biden document House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is taking steps to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress after the Bureau notified the panel it will not comply with its subpoena related to a possible criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden. The FBI, though, said Tuesday evening it remains committed to cooperating with Congress, and will provide access to the document "in a format and setting that maintains confidentiality and protects important security interests and the integrity of FBI investigations." Comer, R-Ky., has subpoenaed the FBI for a document that allegedly describes a criminal scheme involving Biden and a foreign national and relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions. The document is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form. Comer first subpoenaed the document earlier this month. The FBI did not turn it over and instead explained that it needed to protect the Bureau's confidential human source program. Comer set another deadline last week, giving Wray until Tuesday, May 30, to turn over the document. After the deadline was set, Wray set up a call with Comer for Wednesday, May 31. However, the FBI notified the panel it would not provide the document to the committee by the Tuesday afternoon deadline. He added, "Americans deserve the truth, and the Oversight Committee will continue to demand transparency from this nation’s chief law enforcement agency." In response, the FBI told Fox News Digital that the bureau "remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith."

Today, when we hear the word pandemic, most people think of COVID-19. But by 2003, while rates of HIV infections and deaths from AIDS had stabilized and fallen in the US, in sub-Saharan Africa, the rates were at epidemic proportions.In his State of the Union address that January, President George W. Bush announced a massive investment in the global fight against HIV –The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. In the twenty years since, the program has dedicated billions of dollars to HIV prevention and treatment across Africa and other regions, saving tens of millions of lives.NPR's Pien Huang speaks with Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, and Dr. Helene Gayle, an epidemiologist and president of Spelman College, who spent 20 years at the CDC focused on HIV treatment and prevention and global healthcare.

PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, has been credited with saving millions of lives in Africa. But as the new head of PEPFAR, Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong, explains, the impact of PEPFAR extends even further beyond those who received lifesaving treatment.RelatedThe Bush Institute's Oral History of PEPFARPEPFAR at the U.S. State Department

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, Oct. 5. The warmth is predicted to linger another day with a chance for rain Wednesday, with the temperatures dropping steeply by Friday. According to the National Weather Service, it will be partly sunny in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 75 degrees. On Wednesday evening it will be partly cloudy, with a low of around 54 degrees. There will be a 40 percent of showers Wednesday evening, mostly between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. A Linn County jury has found a Cedar Rapids woman who fatally stabbed her boyfriend guilty of a lesser charge after she had originally been charged with murder. Jacqueline Holmes, 38, faces up to five years in jail. After about a day and half of deliberations following more than five days of testimony, she was found guilty last Friday of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter — unintentionally causing the death of her boyfriend, Tremaine Williams, 35, on March 4, 2020. A retired Illinois law and psychology professor, who consults and testifies in cases involving domestic violence, said during the trial that https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/defense-expert-says-cedar-rapids-woman-on-trial-for-fatally-stabbing-her-boyfriend-is-a-battered-w/ (Holmes was a battered woman )and suffers from its effects. She said Holmes told her about three men who physically abused her, including Williams. The https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/prosecutor-says-woman-delayed-getting-boyfriend-911-help-after-stabbing-him/ (prosecution had argued that Holmes )delayed getting help for Williams after she stabbed him in the shoulder at a southwest Cedar Rapids house. There also was testimony from an investigator that Holmes repeatedly changed her version of what happened that night during recorded police interviews. A company seeking to build a carbon dioxide pipeline through five Iowa counties, including Linn, says it will hold a second round of public meetings after confirming some landowners did not get proper notice of its August meetings. Wolf Carbon Solutions, based in Alberta, Canada, held meetings Aug. 29-31 in Johnson, Cedar, Linn, Clinton and Scott counties to talk about a proposed 280-mile underground pipeline that could transport carbon dioxide from ADM plants in Cedar Rapids and Clinton to an underground site in central Illinois. But many of the people who attended those meetings said they had not been notified by certified mail and questioned whether the process was legal. The Iowa Utilities Board Sept. 23 ordered Wolf to explain within 10 days how public notice was provided and verify certified letters were sent. The company setting new meetings could delay their project, but doing so may be preferable to providing certified addresses from affected landowners. Companies proposing other CO2 pipelines in Iowa have resisted publishing the names of all affected landowners. Opponents want those names to help unite opposition.  On Friday Former President George W. Bush will receive a humanitarian award and headline a fundraiser for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids. But don't expect a lot of news coverage of his visit. As part of an agreement with Bush's staff, media coverage of the event is not allowed, said Brad Reiners, communications director for the Hoover Presidential Foundation. The museum will present Bush and former first lady Laura Bush its first Hoover Humanitarian Award for their work in Africa. The former president and former first lady have worked to combat HIV/AIDS across Africa through the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. The effort has saved at least 18 million lives through critical care and treatment since 2003 when then-President Bush authorized it, according to the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Ticket sales for the fundraising banquet are closed. Proceeds will go toward a $20...

Ambassador John E. Lange (https://unfoundation.org/who-we-are/our-people/john-e-lange/) is Senior Fellow, Global Health Diplomacy, at the United Nations Foundation, a charitable organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that supports the United Nations and its activities. Ambassador Lange has extensive leadership experience in global health issues and longstanding involvement in United Nations affairs, focusing on issues related to global health security and the work of the World Health Organization. He also serves as the Chair of the Leadership Team of the Measles & Rubella Initiative. Ambassador Lange worked from 2009-2013 at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he engaged in high-level advocacy with governments and international organizations to advance the Gates Foundation's global health and development goals in Africa. In 2012, he was the founding Co-Chair of the Polio Partners Group, the broad group of stakeholders in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and served in that role for a four-year term. Ambassador Lange had a distinguished 28-year career in the Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State, where he was a pioneer in the field of global health diplomacy and a leader in pandemic preparedness and response. He served as the Special Representative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (2006-2009); Deputy Inspector General; Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator at the inception of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; and Associate Dean for Leadership and Management at the Foreign Service Institute, where he directed the Senior Seminar, the federal government's highest-level civilian/military joint training program. He was the U.S. Ambassador to Botswana and Special Representative to the Southern African Development Community (1999-2002), where he oversaw operations of seven U.S. Government agencies and made HIV/AIDS his signature issue. Ambassador Lange headed the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as Charge d'Affaires during the August 7, 1998, Al-Qaeda bombing, for which he received the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award for "skilled leadership" and "extraordinary courage." From 1991 to 1995, while at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Lange managed U.S. humanitarian and refugee assistance channeled through international organizations. He also had tours of duty in the State Department Bureaus of African Affairs, Western Hemisphere Affairs and Management in Washington and at U.S. Embassies in Lomé, Togo; Paris, France; and Mexico City, Mexico. Prior to joining the diplomatic service in 1981, he worked for five years at the United Nations Association of the USA in New York. Ambassador Lange is the author of a case study in the book, Negotiating and Navigating Global Health: Case Studies in Global Health Diplomacy (2012), that describes the international negotiations on sharing of pandemic influenza viruses and access to vaccines when he led the U.S. delegation. He has delivered lectures on pandemics and other global health issues at Chatham House, London; the Council on Foreign Relations, New York; and numerous other venues. He has written numerous journal and magazine articles and blogs on the Dar es Salaam Embassy bombing, leadership in a crisis, humanitarian assistance, pandemic preparedness and response, and other global health issues. 

Dr. Nkengasong, Director of the Africa CDC and soon to be head of PEPFAR joined us for this 123rd episode, and the first episode of our Live From Munich mini-series, a collection of episodes recorded at the Munich Security Conference. He is a leader in the initiative to incorporate global health in security discussions like the Munich Security Conference. “We have seen how an outbreak of a disease can truly be a health security matter, and also human security, as well as even going as far as a national security threat.” The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us “the need for us to look at the security from a human perspective”, that “we are more connected as humanity”, and “the inequalities that we thought existed are more profound within countries between countries and between regions than we thought”. As North America and Europe begin this murky transition to the next stage of the pandemic, Dr. Nkengasong is concerned that we will “begin to refer to COVID as a disease that will soon be over in the US. And then of course, because of that, it becomes one of the neglected tropical diseases where we now have to rely on foundations or charity to take care of.” He recently called for a pause in vaccine donations: “we're saying that we have a lot of vaccines in the country. Now our problem is vaccination”. “I'm a big believer in that we should always pause to evaluate where we are in response, and then make corrective actions”. How will Africa overcome its major challenge of vaccine hesitancy? “I think every good public health practice as you and I know is local. The concepts are global, but in practice is local, which means Africa must take its own socio-cultural context and deal with it and then find the touchpoints” Dr. John Nkengasong is the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and has been nominated by President Biden to be the next head of the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator in charge of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  

Dr. Nkengasong, Director of the Africa CDC and soon to be head of PEPFAR joined us for this 123rd episode, and the first episode of our Live From Munich mini-series, a collection of episodes recorded at the Munich Security Conference. He is a leader in the initiative to incorporate global health in security discussions like the Munich Security Conference. “We have seen how an outbreak of a disease can truly be a health security matter, and also human security, as well as even going as far as a national security threat.” The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us “the need for us to look at the security from a human perspective”, that “we are more connected as humanity”, and “the inequalities that we thought existed are more profound within countries between countries and between region than we thought”. As North America and Europe begin this murky transition to the next stage of the pandemic, Dr. Nkengasong is concerned that we will “begin to refer to COVID as a disease that will soon be over in the US. And then of course, because of that, it becomes one of the neglected tropical diseases where we now have to rely on foundations or charity to take care of.” He recently called for a pause in vaccine donations: “we're saying that we have a lot of vaccines in the country. Now our problem is vaccination”. “I'm a big believer in that we should always pause to evaluate where we are in respond, and then make corrective actions”. How will Africa overcome its major challenge of vaccine hesitancy? “I think every good public health practice as you and I know is local. The concepts are global, but in practice is local, which means Africa must take his own socio-cultural context and deal with it and then find the touch points”   Dr. John Nkengasong is the Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and has been nominated by President Biden to be the next head of the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator in charge of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  

In this episode, oncologist Bryan Schneider and infectious disease expert Adrian Gardner from Indiana University, share what it has been like to get knocked down with COVID-19 twice, care for patients during the pandemic, lead the University's COVID response, and even a supreme court case on vaccination. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts | Additional resources: education.asco.org | Contact Us Air Date: 12/7/21   TRANSCRIPT [MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. PAT LOEHRER: Hi. I'm Pat Loehrer. I'm a director of the Centers for Global Health and Health Equity at Indiana University Simon Cancer Center. DAVE JOHNSON: And I'm Dave Johnson. I'm a medical oncologist at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. PAT LOEHRER: Well, welcome back to ASCO's education new podcast series entitled Oncology, Etc. Today, we'll be joined by two outstanding guests, Dr. Bryan Schneider and Dr. Adrian Gardner. We're going to do a deep dive about COVID-19. And Dave, I was thinking-- I was reflecting on my life. The thing in medicine is when new diseases come out. So in our earlier lives, when we started there, was no such thing as Lyme disease, HIV/AIDS-- tumors didn't exist. And then just in the last couple of years now, we have COVID-19, the SARS CoV 2. And I think as physicians, it's kind of exciting. What's your experience been with the COVID-19 in the wards at Parkland? DAVE JOHNSON: Well, it's been really, very challenging. You know, I don't know that the public yet has fully grasped the magnitude of this disease. I mean, 700,000-plus Americans have died of this disease. That's an astonishing number when you think about it. And I was just on the general medical wards just a couple of weeks ago with a wonderful team of residents and students. Patients with this disease are very sick. We often downplay it, but I'm telling you, these people are really quite ill and can get ill and symptomatic rapidly, within hours. So this is a serious illness. But I agree with you. One of the things I told the residents a year ago was to keep a journal, that there are a few times during the course of your training and career where a new disease emerges, and you can be part and parcel of that. And keeping a diary of what happened is something that I wish I had done when AIDS emerged back in the '80s, or other disease processes, like Lyme, as you mentioned. PAT LOEHRER: And syphilis for you, wasn't it? DAVE JOHNSON: Well, that was sort of the [LAUGHS] Hippocratic oath days, but yeah, no. I think that was-- I think-- I can't remember. We were hanging out together at the time, so I don't remember exactly. Yeah, no, it's been really remarkable. The thing that's been interesting to me is the response of individuals and their families to the disease, particularly once the vaccines came available. So maybe we can delve into that a little bit today, because I know one of our guests has actually experienced that himself, so we'll know more about that later. PAT LOEHRER: I don't think, to be honest, that we could have a better collective wisdom than we have today with Dr. Schneider and Dr. Gardner, who will talk about their personal and professional and I think the global impact of COVID. I don't think there's any two people better than that. The only thing we could do better is if Anthony Fauci was here by himself. But these guys are tremendous people. Dr. Gardner went to medical school at Brown, did his fellowship and infectious disease at Beth Israel, and then did his MPH at Harvard, and joined the faculty in Indiana University in 2012. When he was a student, he spent time in Kenya, with Joe Mamlin from Indiana University as part of the AMPATH program. And he came back to become the field director there. And he is just an outstanding person. He's now the director of the Center of Global Health for Indiana University and the Associate Dean for Global Health and has led the contact tracing for Indiana University. And he's going to give us some input from this. Bryan, again, I've known forever. He's just an outstanding medical oncologist. He is now a Professor of Medicine and Medical and Molecular Genetics here at IU. He's a Vera Bradley chair of oncology. He is the founding chair of our precision genomics program and just a superstar in breast cancer as well as pharmacogenomics and was one of the first to describe the unique neuropathy associated with the taxanes in breast cancer. So it's just a pleasure to have both of you here. DAVE JOHNSON: You know, Pat, it's great to have that talent there. It balances out the negativity of other faculty members. But that's great. Welcome, both of you. PAT LOEHRER: I loved you a minute ago. I've turned mute on from a distance here. Adrian, tell me a little bit about yourself, growing up and how you got to where you were. ADRIAN GARDNER: Sure, thanks. And thanks so much for the invitation and for being part of this and for the generous introduction. So as you said, Pat, I'm a product of an international environment. That's an important part of my upbringing, actually. I was born in Scotland to two parents that-- born and bred in Scotland and grew up in Scotland. I spent the first six years of my life really living in France and then moved to Lawrence, Kansas, which was quite a cultural shift, but spent four years there. And it was great, actually, time in my life to be there, before moving to the East Coast, where I went to school and did all my medical training. So I'd had international experiences before, and I think that was an important part of my upbringing and something I sought for my kids, in the sense that it just immediately resets your sense of the world and makes you feel like a global citizen as opposed to just sort of more limited-- the community you're surrounded by. But it really wasn't until my experience as a fourth-year medical student at Brown that I had the opportunity to see health care in a low-resource setting and see that. And that was a very powerful experience professionally and personally. And as you said, it was the time when Joe Mamlin was really just dreaming up what the HIV response was going to look like, this nice institutional partnership that we'd set up in Western Kenya. But we set it up in the middle of the global pandemic. And true to our mission of responding and leading with care, felt a need to respond to the HIV pandemic. And that started really by-- was motivated by personal interactions that Joe had with some individuals who he saw firsthand come back to life, the Lazarus effect that has been reported. And that really spawned this whole response, changed my career and certainly my life, and had profound effects on my life. So that's a bit of who I am as an individual and how I got to where I am today. PAT LOEHRER: And we're going to touch on some of the work that you're doing now. But before I do, Bryan, tell us a little bit about and your background, where you grew up and how you got to where you are today. BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Thanks to you, and Dave as well, for having me on. And this will be an interesting perspective, because I think I'm coming on here as the patient this time, so it'll be a different view. But in contradistinction to Adrian, I am a pure Hoosier. I was born in the southern part of the state and raised there and then drove three hours north to Indianapolis, where I've set up for the last 25 years, and just been really lucky to be here at Indiana University. And Pat, you may not even remember this-- about 25 years ago, you were my formal mentor for med school, and so one of the influences and sticking around here along with some other real greats along the way. So have done, as you mentioned, breast medical oncology here in genomics and have had an absolute blast. So thanks for having me on. PAT LOEHRER: Oh, we love having you. And just as an aside, Bryan-- one is I think the world of you, and so proud of what you've accomplished. But Bryan's backyard actually was the home of Henry Lynch, and where he first described Lynch syndrome down in southern Indiana. And I think no greater tribute in his legacy than what you have done with precision genomics. It's really terrific. DAVE JOHNSON: Yeah. Maybe we'll have some time to delve into that. But actually, I'm curious, Bryan-- you mentioned that you've come on as the patient. My understanding is you've had firsthand experience with COVID, not just as a physician, but as the recipient of that wonderful new virus. Maybe you could tell us a little about that? BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, an interesting experience to be sure. So about 2 and 1/2 months ago, I tested positive for COVID and got really sick. Yeah, my three-year-old son had brought it home from his preschool and infected his older brother, who's almost 12, and then my wife and myself. And so was a really fascinating experience, I guess, and brought about some aspects to the virus that I had never really thought about. PAT LOEHRER: Now, Bryan, you also had COVID before, too. BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Yes. And the first time-- I was probably one of the very, very early cases and got really sick with it and lost my sense of taste and smell. I actually got one of the purple fingers, which I went to the ER for. I thought I was having a or something. And at the time, those weren't well-recognized symptoms. And that loss of taste and smell went months for me. So, yeah, I think I have frankly had the infection twice. The second time, though, was documented and certainly got really sick with the second one. DAVE JOHNSON: Can you elaborate on your second case? When you say you got really sick, was it a respiratory illness or were there other symptoms? BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, there were two aspects to it that were interesting. I think the first was physical. I got a sense of fatigue that I don't know that I have ever experienced before. It was one that I literally just could not get out of bed. And you know, I lost about 10 to 15 pounds from just being anorectic. And I'm not an overly thick human to begin with. But the big one was shortness of breath. And we had a pulse ox at home. My wife's a pediatrician, and I was sating in the high 80s. And I work out five or six times a week, so keep in pretty good shape, and I was stopping midway up the stairs to sit down, because I felt really tachycardic and just lightheaded. And so that degree of physical punishment is something like I have never expected or felt before. But the psychological part of it was really something I did not expect. And one part of that was an odd sense of guilt. I was getting texts and calls from a lot of friends checking on me, and many were baffled and asking, hey, did you not get vaccinated? Or what was going on with that? And so that-- it was a very odd sensation to me, because I, of course, had been vaccinated and I mask and all those sort of things. The other was one of real fear. I worried-- you know, luckily, I guess, our family all got infected around the same time, so we didn't have to think about quarantine. But I started wondering, could I have infected a patient? I take care of immunosuppressed breast cancer patients, before I was symptomatic. And then even after I came back to work, I had quarantined for quite some time, but I was really fearful. I would find myself double masking, washing my hands incessantly, and even holding my breath when I was trying to listen to heart and lungs during examination. So that sort of psychology was something I don't think I really expected with this infection. DAVE JOHNSON: How long did it take you to get beyond that, or are you beyond that part? BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Yeah. You know, I feel back to my baseline now. And I certainly don't worry about it on a day-to-day basis now. But my first clinic or two back was really hard for me, psychologically and emotionally. And part of me even wondered, should I profess to all my patients that I've had COVID? Or what things can I do to help protect them? And again, it was that mental aspect that I just didn't really anticipate prior to heading back to my clinic. DAVE JOHNSON: You know, this is eerily reminiscent of the physician who's had cancer who experiences extreme fatigue for the first time, chemotherapy-induced fatigue, after having described it many, many times before-- BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Right. DAVE JOHNSON: --and who has a guilt sensation in many respects as well. So quite the experience, for sure. PAT LOEHRER: Dave was talking about himself, by the way. BRYAN SCHNEIDER: No, I can only imagine. And you're right. We do try to paint a picture to patients about how things are going to feel, and it's amazing. When it's internalized or when you're feeling, it's-- it can often bring about a sense of, wow, I don't know that I-- I may have underplayed this to some of my patients in the past. And it really does provide some degree of empathy that's hard to capture if you haven't felt it. DAVE JOHNSON: So when I was on the wards, Bryan, I must confess, there were times when we walked into a patient's room with COVID who, of course, had not been vaccinated long after the vaccines were approved. Our professionalism prevents us from doing anything other than taking care of those people, but I'm wondering how you feel about caring for patients who have not been vaccinated or refuse to be vaccinated. BRYAN SCHNEIDER: Yeah. I mean, I think probably similar to a lot of people listening here today, it's a bit frustrating. And I think we all take care of patients who have a really tough diagnosis. And we're in the interesting field of giving patients medications that really immunosuppresses them, so we spend time counseling on the fact that you may get really sick or hospitalized or even die from neutropenic sepsis. And I think that is something that rests really hard with patients who are already dealing with a life-threatening diagnosis. And so now, trying to do that counseling in the face of a global pandemic like we haven't seen for a hundred years has really brought around a sense of duress and distress in my patients like I've never seen before. You know, I even had a patient who moved away from her family to be quarantined during adjuvant therapy, which I, of course, recommended against. But it really impressed upon me how big a deal this was. And so to see their frustration, and then in contradistinction, understanding that some people didn't want to pitch in to help-- it was very frustrating and honestly just made me very sad for people who I know were really struggling with this. DAVE JOHNSON: Actually, I had one more question to ask you. You mentioned coming back-- did you, in fact, share your diagnosis with your patients? I mean, I-- when I had cancer and came back, I made a pact with myself that I wasn't going to do that. But then I learned that the nurses were telling patients that I had cancer, and I found that it actually was helpful to share that diagnosis with many of my patients so that they could ask questions and feel that they had someone who really had experienced what they were either going through or about to go through. So I'm wondering how you've shared your diagnosis of COVID with patients, if at all. BRYAN SCHNEIDER: No, that's a great question. And I may have followed a similar pattern. At first I didn't. I didn't know what to do, to be frank. I didn't know if my saying that would make that patient, in that moment, more stressed out or worried, and I certainly didn't want to add to that. So I took it upon myself to try to make myself as safe to them as possible. But now that I've had a little chance to reflect on it, I have shared it. And I think for some of my patients, it's been good for them to hear what that experience was like. I think it's also-- Dave, as you probably know, I think it also reminds them we're human, too, and we experience some difficulty with physical health and I think in some ways it allows us to bond in a little bit deeper way. DAVE JOHNSON: I agree. PAT LOEHRER: I want to turn the attention over to Adrian now. Adrian, you're in a unique position, obviously one because of your experience in Kenya, and we want to hear about that, but also your responsibility for Indiana University. What some of the listeners may recall is that there was a decision made that you were part of that actually mandated that students in Indiana University be required to have vaccination before they came to school. We were in Kenya at the time when we heard that there was some consideration about that from the state legislature in terms of how-- mandating that. And eventually, this was a case that in which eight students took this case to cohort that eventually reached to Amy Coney Barrett, who decided to find in favor of Indiana University. It was a landmark decision here. But tell us a little bit about your experience on the leadership role of COVID and the impact that you see in terms of yourself personally and from the field of the university. ADRIAN GARDNER: Yeah. Thanks, Pat. I think it's really two different worlds in my mind, in some ways, although clearly linked by this global pandemic. You know, I was just finishing my eight-year stint, essentially, in Kenya in March of 2020 when we got the news that the entire world was about to be declared a level 4 by the State Department. And well, that-- I remember actually talking to Joe Scodro on the phone. And he's like, what the heck does that mean? That's not in our playbook of what we do when things happen and we need to bring trainees home and sort of-- PAT LOEHRER: Scodro being the lead counsel for Indiana University here. ADRIAN GARDNER: Thank you. Yeah, yeah. So for me-- I mean, obviously I was making a transition back to a US-based career in this position as the Director for the Center for Global Health. But you know, I had a dramatic change in my position, right? I mean, who is going to do global health operations in the middle of a pandemic? Well, nobody, because nobody was traveling. So we had really shifted all of our Kenya operations to a virtual support. We pulled all our trainees and long-term faculty back, initially. And my own position here is-- got pulled into a leadership role in Indiana University's response to the pandemic, along with three other physician leaders. And we all took on a different component of the response. So I was involved in the contact tracing, in part because we had some experience with contact tracing and global settings and tuberculosis and HIV. And while the transmission dynamics are obviously quite dramatically different and has different implications, but some of the principles around contact tracing were similar in the sense that contact tracing is not about really a stick, but it's more about extending a carrot and extending the support that allows you then to create an enabling environment-- and a quick phone call, in this case-- to allow people to identify what it is to quarantine and isolate effectively. To get to the Supreme Court issues and around mandates-- I think it was fairly obvious-- we were part of a restart committee that had been put together by the Dean of the School of Medicine, Jay Hess, and it was fairly noncontroversial among that group that we were going to need vaccine as we marched through this. And we immediately set up a lot of testing infrastructure and what we called mitigation testing at that point of asymptomatic individuals in addition to creating systems that enabled people to-- with symptoms, to enable testing very quickly and to get results back and to get that whole infrastructure in place. But it was pretty obvious to us-- it was a group of medical, public health, and ethics and legal folks-- that we were going to need a high level of immunity to get back to anything normal, right? And as we began planning for the summer and the fall of 2021, it was like-- it's a no-brainer. I mean, the only way you're going to get high levels of immunity, if you want to bring people back into the same classroom, if you want to have people living in dormitories, if you want to have them engage in the normal activities that college kids want to engage in, then you've got to have a very high level of immunity. And the only way to really achieve that is going to be through vaccine mandates. And again, it wasn't-- it didn't feel unprecedented, because you have to get a whole bunch of vaccines when you go off to college or when you go to elementary school. And that's really the only way to achieve that high level of coverage that allows us to not have a bunch of measles in our environment. And we still have mumps, despite high levels of coverage. But yeah, it felt weirdly noncontroversial. But of course, the whole politicization, I think, of the whole response to the pandemic made this more controversial. And clearly, there are people that feel very strongly about it. But I think this-- framing it in a context of personal freedom versus public good has not been particularly healthy for us as a country. I guess I'm not terribly surprised that the Supreme Court ultimately ruled against the preliminary injunction. I think the formal case is still pending, but it's maybe been overtaken by events, because now there are government mandates that are requiring vaccine or regular testing of just about-- lots of different industries and government employees and things. So I think it was important that we took a stand on this. And I think it has set a precedent, I think, for other universities. There were initially some hospital systems doing the same. But I think it's made it a lot easier to keep moving through industries and health systems with this kind of decision. PAT LOEHRER: Parenthetically, there's-- this week, they announced the-- we've reached over a million cases of COVID in Indiana. But the lowest county for infectious rate is actually Monroe County, which is where Bloomington is, where Indiana University is. And it's less than half of the rate of the state. And so I think kudos to you and the staff that have done this. Just maybe briefly, could you reflect on your experiences in Kenya, here in the United States-- lessons learned by you or by the university or by public officials about the contrast? I am reflecting now about a patient I saw today, that-- we were talking about the booster vaccine. And unfortunately, in Kenya, most people haven't gotten their first vaccine, either. So reflect a little bit about the global impact as you've seen personally. ADRIAN GARDNER: Yeah. So again, I think it's felt like two different worlds, but obviously struggling with the same thing, right? So I think on a global perspective-- so Kenya has-- Kenya got off to a pretty good start because they were kind of late to the game when it came to COVID, and they were able to jump on and learn from some of the lessons about physical distancing and shutting things down that actually enabled them to escape in the beginning. Of course, there was probably transmission going on behind the scenes that we weren't detecting, and even till now, the numbers that are officially reported are really just the tip of the iceberg. I think know that. Kenya has only reported 250,000 cases and just over 5,000 fatalities nationwide since the beginning of the pandemic. But there are serology studies that suggest that 50%, 60% of the population may have actually been infected-- at least, right? And that's based on blood donor studies and things. So I mean, I think some of the initial challenges, obviously, around access to PPE-- as we think about health care settings there, which are-- our partnership is based in, as you know. It's just the lack of infection control and the ability to even think about infection control because you're lacking space. As you know, Pat, in many of these wards in low-resource settings, there are two patients in every bed. And one might have active pulmonary TB and one might be getting chemotherapy for breast cancer. And it's less than ideal. But as you think about how to respond to that, it's pretty hard when you don't have any space, right? I mean, we did a lot here in terms of retooling space and utilizing space that was not being used and putting in negative pressure rooms where they were needed and this kind of thing that just weren't options in Kenya. One good news was that I think in Kenya, in particular, the testing capacity was able to get an early jump because the HIV infrastructure, PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, had established seven regional laboratories that were obviously running HIV viral loads and so had PCR platforms. And they were able to rapidly retool those and convert them into COVID testing laboratories for PCR. So that was good, but then never really got to the same point where we need to get to, which is that it's readily accessible to everyone in rural regions and rapid testing in order to inform triage protocols [INAUDIBLE] patients and try to figure out how to develop that. So there's been testing available, but just not in the quantities that were sufficient. You know, I think we've been able to work across virtual platforms to share knowledge about management and clinical protocol development. That's been another success story. Certainly our partnership is longstanding and so has allowed those relationships that have withstood the test of nonpersonal interaction. And of course, the biggest elephant in the room now is this issue of vaccine equity, as you pointed out. So about 5% of the population in Kenya has been vaccinated. Part of that is vaccine access. Part of it is probability distribution infrastructure. Think about low resource settings-- many of them do quite well with vaccine delivery, but they're early childhood vaccines, right? So they have whole infrastructure around maternal child health that's set up to do this. There's not a lot of infrastructure for rapidly mobilizing 50 million adults to try and get them in for a two-shot series. So how do you do that? I mean, yes there are some community assets in terms of community health workers and things, but so far, at least, the vaccine quantities available have not been sufficient to allow that kind of infrastructure to really take over, at least in Kenya. But it holds promise, I think. But then they also are up against the same, I think-- some of the same challenges that we face here in terms of vaccine misinformation and lack of trust. This is an area where I think trust is really key ingredient in health systems, and I think we've seen it in our own inequalities that have been made very, very obvious in our own country and really, the issue globally. And it's not a new lesson. We knew it from Ebola and other very obvious infectious diseases that have resulted in high degrees of death because of lack of trust. When I have taken care of patients here and I've had those same experiences that Dave was talking about earlier, where you want to just ask the patient, so why didn't you get vaccinated? As an infectious disease provider, we've been called in to a lot of these cases, and I've taken the opportunity to ask a couple of times-- not in a judgmental way, but trying to set the stage and just-- what is it about the system? And a lot of-- some of it is misinformation. Some of it is this politicization and political bias. But some of it is just a very subtle mistrust and this notion that you don't feel completely welcomed or resected within the health care setting. And that's enough to just turn it off to this point where, eh, I'm just not ready to do that. And I think that's sometimes more subtle than we appreciate, but it has a huge impact. DAVE JOHNSON: We're getting close to the end of our time. I want to pivot back, if I may, just for a quick moment to Bryan. This may be an out of-- from left field type of question, but we learned a lot about early chemotherapy from the infectious disease world. We took some of the infectious disease principles and applied them in the early years of chemotherapy. Do you think there's much to be learned from a precision medicine standpoint from the COVID pandemic? What are you taking away from not just your personal experience but the larger experience, if anything? Or is that just-- is it just too early to say? BRYAN SCHNEIDER: No, I mean-- I think I've always admired the speed and efficiency with which breakthroughs have happened in infectious disease. And I mean, the idea of a brand new virus coming on board a couple of years ago and coming to the point where we are today shows, I think, real innovation, but the ability to get behind a question and, as a community, answer it well. And I think from that standpoint, that's something that all disciplines, including oncology, can learn. I certainly think we're seeing more and more intersection, too, with the way we think about treating cancer and its impact on immunity. And so certainly in that way I think there's real connections. But I do think some of the innovations that were brought about from the NCI with the vaccines are going to really also herald in things that will be game-changers in the world of oncology and therapeutics as well. DAVE JOHNSON: That's great. PAT LOEHRER: If I can throw in something, too-- I think, Dave, particularly as we talk about global health, many of the cancers that we see in the low-to-middle income countries are caused by viruses. One of the number one causes of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is cervical cancer. We could eradicate that by getting vaccines out there. In terms of the lessons learned, I think the lessons learned in oncology is that we need to deal more with population health and with prevention than we do with the treatment towards the end of the life. And hopefully that will be a lesson that we can take home with us around the world. ADRIAN GARDNER: Yeah, and Pat, I think we do need to do better as a global community in terms of sharing vaccine and getting manufacturing up, and not just for vaccines but PPE and therapeutics. It's just not fair, the world we live in now. And at least we all know that and we take it for granted in some ways. But it shouldn't be this unfair, right? And that's been part of the problem globally, and it's part of the problem in the United States. DAVE JOHNSON: Yeah. PAT LOEHRER: But the tail end also is access to drugs for chemotherapy, too, and to have radiation available for all these patients. So it is-- this access is an important part of health equity globally. And I think it behooves all of us to be involved with this mission. DAVE JOHNSON: Well, again, we've come to the end of our time. And we want to thank all of our listeners, but most of all, we really want to thank Bryan and Adrian for a wonderful interview. We really appreciate your time and you sharing your experiences with us. Thanks again to the listeners for tuning in to Oncology Etc. This is an ASCO educational podcast. We want to talk really about anything and everything, so if you have an idea for a topic or a guest, we invite you to share that with us and email us at education@ASCO.org. So thanks again. And remember, Pat, I before E except after C. PAT LOEHRER: [LAUGHS] Well, I'll see you later, then. DAVE JOHNSON: No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Eight, leisure, sovereign, weight, weird, foreign, vein, neighbor-- apparently it doesn't work. [LAUGHTER] My second-grade teacher taught me that rule, and it's just wrong. [MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: Thank you for listening to this week's episode. To make us part of your weekly routine, click Subscribe. Let us know what you think by leaving a review. For more information, visit the comprehensive e-learning center at elearning.asco.org.

US President Joe Biden has nominated Dr John Nkengasong to lead a public health programme on combating HIV/Aids, known as the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.Dr Nkengasong is currently the head of the Africa CDC - the agency leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.The US government initiative has been without a leader since February last year. Its former leader Deborah Birx left to join the US coronavirus task force.Experts say that many people were not getting tested while others were not able to take their medicine due to the interruption of supplies.

US President Joe Biden has nominated Dr John Nkengasong to lead a public health programme on combating HIV/Aids, known as the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.Dr Nkengasong is currently the head of the Africa CDC - the agency leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.The US government initiative has been without a leader since February last year. Its former leader Deborah Birx left to join the US coronavirus task force.Experts say that many people were not getting tested while others were not able to take their medicine due to the interruption of supplies.

US President Joe Biden has nominated Dr John Nkengasong to lead a public health programme on combating HIV/Aids, known as the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.Dr Nkengasong is currently the head of the Africa CDC - the agency leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.The US government initiative has been without a leader since February last year. Its former leader Deborah Birx left to join the US coronavirus task force.Experts say that many people were not getting tested while others were not able to take their medicine due to the interruption of supplies.

This episode is an audio version of a video interview conducted by the Journal's Editor in Chief, Dr Audiey Kao, with Dr Chris Beyrer, the Desmond M Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, about the challenges facing the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, better known as PEPFAR, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Host Carol Castiel speaks with veteran AIDS activist, journalist, and historian Emily Bass about her new book, To End a Plague: America's Fight to Defeat AIDS in Africa. Bass discusses the genesis and impact of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief created by former President George W. Bush, its positive impact on Africa and challenges that remain in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Host Carol Castiel speaks with veteran AIDS activist, journalist, and historian Emily Bass about her new book, To End a Plague: America's Fight to Defeat AIDS in Africa. Bass discusses the genesis and impact of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief created by former President George W. Bush, its positive impact on Africa and challenges that remain in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The latest episode of Px Pulse takes a deep dive into PEPFAR, The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. AVAC's former Director of Strategy and Content, Emily Bass, has just published To End a Plague: America's fight to end AIDS in Africa which documents its pioneering successes and its challenges. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where since 1984, he’s overseen a vast portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious disease — everything from HIV/AIDS to malaria, Ebola, Zika, and now COVID-19. He was a chief architect of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and today serves as one of the seminal members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, where he advises the federal government on its response to the pandemic. Our space here cannot adequately capture Dr. Fauci’s contributions, but suffice it to say that he is a giant in medicine and a profound personal hero, and it was a treasure to talk with him for this episode. We cover a lot of ground in limited time, from the state of our country’s coronavirus response, to his approach to navigating the political tensions intrinsic to his job. We also reflect on his personal journey, from his childhood to choosing medicine through his four decades in government. I deeply enjoyed this conversation, and hope you do, too. For more, check out: the CDC's guidelines on how to protect yourself, this tracker by the NYTimes of the status of all 50 states' reopenings, and Dr. Fauci's remembrance of his dear friend and AIDS activist, Larry Kramer, who passed away in May  And for more on Civic Rx, visit www.civic-rx.org. 

Dr. Shepherd has worked in key areas like Botswana to address infectious diseases. He shares with listeners How HIV and TB are still tremendous problems in many parts of the world, Why the covid-19 shutdown has frozen many global treatment centers for infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, and How tuberculosis stands as the top infectious disease killer in the world. Dr. James Shepherd is an infectious disease physician at Yale, New Haven hospital. For the past 20 years, he has advised and worked in TB and HIV global treatment programs. For example, he worked in Nigeria to roll out HIV treatment programs through the US-funded President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He also ran the CDC's TB and HIV research program in Botswana to address HIV symptoms and curtail TB spread, which has one of the most severe TB and HIV co-epidemics in the world, and worked with the CDC WHO contingent in India, advising on their national TB program. He describes his work with governments and health issues in smaller countries, which have a lot more challenges. He comments that one has to get creative, adapt, and work around issues and prioritize because there isn't the luxury of picking and choosing. He adds that there's a lot of pragmatism: these parts of the world are limited by funds so they have to make very hard choices for their people.  He also tells listeners about the covid-19 shutdown's effects on some of these programs, how the lack of PPE, resources, and the "cold chain" supply of vaccines and medicines are no longer reaching places like Botswana. He adds how they handled the covid-19 precautions very well from the start and have very limited cases, but are suffering from this lack of other needs met. Therefore, Dr. Shepherd expresses his concern for the near future of TB and HIV symptoms relief, prevention, and treatments as well as the lack of vaccines like measles. For more information on infectious diseases from a global perspective, he suggests seeing web pages from philanthropic organizations like the global health section of the Gates Foundation and the UK's Wellcome Foundation.

There was a lot of (mis)information swirling around Washington, D.C. long before I started playing “tag, you’re it” with my guest Matthew Barnes at 4th of July parties when Jimmy Carter was in charge, and just before the first agent orange class action lawsuits were filed. (Uncle Dick missed a few parties in the 1980s - probably too busy working.) Speaking of the President, since the White House cancelled today’s coronavirus briefing, I thought it’d be “worth the time and effort” to get caught up with Matt and hear about what he’s been up to at the State Department.Matt is the founding partner of ASG Advisors which provides strategic counsel to companies, corporate executives, foundations, and public officials on maximizing their impact through philanthropy and thought leadership. ASG supports its “clients with sound research, intimate knowledge of best practices, thorough planning, and strong execution.”In July, Matt was called to serve a special assignment with the U.S. State Department as part of PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). He describes his work related to the AIDS pandemic and how he believes Dr. Deborah Birx’s experiences there can help us here. We talked about world supply chains and using “analytics” to maximize outomes, not just outputs. Keep up the great work Cuz! Proud of you!! 

In this episode of AIDS 2020, Steve and Andrew speak with Ambassador Deborah Birx, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy. Ambassador Birx has been on the front lines of the HIV/AIDS response both in the U.S. and around the world since the earliest days of the epidemic, and has led PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) for six years. She previously served as Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Global HIV/AIDS, and as the Director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. They discuss the work PEPFAR is doing to prioritize the health and education of young women, the need for stronger evidence and accountability in HIV programming, and making the impossible possible with diplomacy and partnerships.

Theoretically, if you access all the people who are infected with HIV and put them on therapy to get the viral load below detectable levels, and get those individuals who are at high risk and put them on PREP, you could end the epidemic right now.But what are the downfalls of this hypothesis?In today’s episode, we are going to find out the answer to this question, because my guest is no one other than Dr. Anthony Fauci who takes us back to the beginnings of HIV in the United States and also shares with us the newest insights into HIV and AIDS research and attempts to eradicate this virus.Dr. Anthony Fauci is and has been the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States, since 1984. Dr. Fauci oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV and AIDS, as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika.In 1984 he opened his doors to AIDS advocates and built personal relationships with many of them. He traveled across the country to meet with AIDS patients and their physicians, as well as with activist groups and created new channels of access to experimental drugs. Dr. Fauci continues to gain insight into the precise mechanisms of immune disfunction and AIDS. He spearheaded research that led to the development of a series of drugs that have made it possible for HIV Positive patients to live long and active lives, without developing full-blown AIDS.Dr. Fauci has relentlessly pressed the White House and Congress for an increase in funding for AIDS research and treatments. Within 20 years of taking the reins of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Fauci has secured a 1000X increase in the Institute's funding. He was one of the principal architects of the President's Emergency Plans for AIDS Relief, better known as PEPFAR, a program that has saved millions of lives in Africa and throughout the developing world.Some say that he has probably been as important to HIV and AIDS research, as Newton has been to physics, so listen to Episode 08 of Positively Alive, to learn about the history and evolution of HIV, from the man who was there, right from the beginning.Questions I ask:Could you walk us a little bit through what it was like, at the very beginning, what went through your mind, and how this unknown disease eventually became known as AIDS? (04:27)When did PEPFAR see the light? (15:51)Is the role of PEPFAR today as relevant as it was in the beginning? (20:43)How big of a problem do you think treatment inconsistency may be in the US and then, obviously, resistance to the drugs? (28:50)What would you say to an HIV Positive person today, as to how to live with HIV? What is your message to that person? (44:04)In this episode, you will learn:How the response to HIV evolved, under the different US presidents. (11:39)Why increasing funding into HIV and AIDS research is going to save more money later. (31:34)Why creating a vaccine for HIV is harder than for other viral infections. (33:51)About gene editing – its benefits and pitfalls. (37:11)The impact of stigma in the US, according to Dr. Fauci. (39:52)How you can contribute to our cause:Positively Alive Facebook GroupPositively Alive Youtube ChannelPositively Alive Websitewww.positivelyalive.orgDonate See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Deborah Birx is Ambassador-at-large and serves as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy. She chats about creating a 180 PowerPoint slide to convince the White House the Army needed to be part of the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. She also shares how U.S. dollars have helped save millions of lives in Africa.

This week's Leadership Tidbits with Coach Tee Wilson features special guest, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Tiffany Channer.As a highly accomplished woman in STEM, you can imagine that her resume is extensive, you would be right! Here are some of the major highlights you should know about the powerful Tiffany Channer.Tiffany Channer currently serves as the Technical Supervisor for OneBlood, Inc. at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida. She honed her skill and knowledge of blood banking at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, where she completed her 9-year tenure as Blood Bank Educational Lead Medical Technologist III/ Safety Officer. During her undergraduate studies, she was a STEP/CSTEP mentor where she educated students of neighboring urban areas of Medical Laboratory Science.  Soon after graduation Ms. Channer was granted a life altering opportunity of being an American Society for Clinical Pathology / President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiative consultant in Swaziland, Africa. After her experience there she pursued a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management and a graduate certification in Global Health. In 2011, Channer was awarded with the Medical Laboratory Scientist of the year Award for the Transfusion Medicine Department at the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has taught rotating Clinical Laboratory Science students and Doctoral Fellows theory and technical aspects of transfusion medicine. Tiffany also recruits for the Clinical Laboratory Science profession as a whole. As the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Chair-Elect for the Council of Laboratory Professionals, Patient Champion Advisory Board Member, and Career Ambassador she educates, informs, and inspires students, seasoned scientists, and individuals within the STEM field about ASCP and its importance to the field. Channer lives by a Nelson Mandela quote. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Her love of education permeates through her acts of service and she hopes to inspire and encourage future scientists to enter a field that is unfamiliar to many. While Ms. Channer was on the show, she took us through her often fast paced lifestyle of what it is like to work in transfusion medicine as well as simply working in the business of saving lives. She shared with us that life is so much bigger than working on the bench. She explained that can be used as a metaphor for a lot of things, but from the medical lab perspective she stated, “there's more to what we do than working on the bench, take time to know your team and for them to know you. As good leaders, it's very important for us to be accessible.” Overall here are some more leadership tidbits from Ms. Channer: Having a mentor is essential to your life and your progress, you need to have that person who is a champion for you, who's rooting for you, and who's exposing you to things that you didn't even know was possible. Lastly, nothing changes without policy and that's not limited to the lab, this applies to the context of the world.

In this episode of Px Pulse we take a look at one issue that was center-stage at the recent AIDS 2018 conference in Amsterdam: Preventing new HIV infections. Hear Brad Jones of Weill Cornell Medical College pose a basic question about T cells and what his research could teach us about the immune system. Advocate Dorothy Okatch of the NGO Young 1ove sizes up the challenges for prevention in her country Botswana, where gains in treatment have been lauded. But first, we talk to the head of PEPFAR (the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), Ambassador Deborah Birx, who oversees one of the biggest programs for HIV/AIDS in the world.

World Policy Institute — The campaign to combat HIV/AIDS is often cited as an example of how fundraising efforts by states and private organizations can be channelled to address critical global issues. On today's episode of World Policy On Air, journalist Ross Benes discusses why the billions of dollars that poured into AIDS-relief groups' coffers failed to stop the spread of the disease.

J.C. Watts served in our nation's Congress from 1995-2003 as a devoted conservative. His wide-ranging resume includes being an accomplished sports figure, Baptist minister, and a political commentator. He is currently the President and CEO of the Feed the Children non-profit organization and Founder and Chairman of the largest African-American owned lobbying company in Washington D.C., Watts Partners Consulting Group. His new book Dig Deep - The 7 Truths to Finding Strength Within details his extraordinary efforts to help people live the best life possible.   Key Takeaways:   Jason's Editorial: [3:52] Muggings and purse thefts have dropped but identity thefts are increasing so, have people fallen? [8:12] Making governments smaller will make corruption more obvious and easier to detect. [11:16] This is how we will get better real estate inventory from our providers for our clients. [15:09] Will increasing interest rates cause real estate prices come down? [20:57] Affordability is the primary driver of prices.   Congressmen J.C. Watts Guest Interview: [24:36] The cheer of the crowd is intoxicating in politics, it makes one want to do what is popular instead of what is right. . [28:25] The true goal of governments should be more taxpayers, not raising existing taxes. [34:17] J.C. Watts new book, Dig Deep, is about doing life better. [42:34] 90% of Feed the Children resources are deployed in the United States. In 2015, the program fed 9 million children. [44:52] Unforgiveness leads to anger, anger leads to bitterness and bitterness leads to hatred.   Mentions: Jason Hartman Venture Alliance Mastermind Feed the Children J.C. Watts Companies

JC Watts is a former Congressman from Oklahoma, President of Feed the Children, co-chair of the Coalition for AIDS Relief in Africa, founder and Chairman of JC Watts Companies and Watts Consulting Group. He's also the author of the new book Dig Deep: 7 Truths for Finding the Strength Within.In Dig Deep, J.C. Watts offers seven powerful maxims that have kept him grounded throughout his roller-coaster career from star college quarterback to U.S. Congressman. The first black Republican ever elected to a leadership position in Congress, Watts resisted the rat-race of Washington and eventually declined re-election. His seven simple principles are a blueprint for living a fulfilling and meaningful life without falling to the temptations of reckless ambition or indulgence. Dig Deep is a powerful, simple guide that will help readers find the courage and faith to live the best life possible.Key Takeaways:[6:13] The need for more tax payers, and how you create that[10:43] Why adversity can be good for us, as long as we're willing to change[14:05] Why "we've always done it this way" isn't good enough anymore[17:00] JC's work with Feed the Children[19:45] How forgiving can set you free[23:18] An unfortunate series of events leading up to JC's first elected office that taught him an important lesson in forgivenessWebsites Mentioned:www.wattsconsultinggroup.comDig Deep: 7 Truths to Finding the Strength Within

JC Watts is a former Congressman from Oklahoma, President of Feed the Children, co-chair of the Coalition for AIDS Relief in Africa, founder and Chairman of JC Watts Companies and Watts Consulting Group. He’s also the author of the new book Dig Deep: 7 Truths for Finding the Strength Within. In Dig Deep, J.C. Watts […] The post AMA 144 – DIG DEEP, 7 Truths to Finding the Strength Within with Canadian Football League & OK Sooners Orange Bowl Champ and former Congressman JC Watts appeared first on American Monetary Association.

JC Watts is a former Congressman from Oklahoma, President of Feed the Children, co-chair of the Coalition for AIDS Relief in Africa, founder and Chairman of JC Watts Companies and Watts Consulting Group. He’s also the author of the new book Dig Deep: 7 Truths for Finding the Strength Within. In Dig Deep, J.C. Watts […] The post AMA 144 – DIG DEEP, 7 Truths to Finding the Strength Within with Canadian Football League & OK Sooners Orange Bowl Champ and former Congressman JC Watts appeared first on American Monetary Association.

JC Watts is a former Congressman from Oklahoma, President of Feed the Children, co-chair of the Coalition for AIDS Relief in Africa, founder and Chairman of JC Watts Companies and Watts Consulting Group. He's also the author of the new book Dig Deep: 7 Truths for Finding the Strength Within.In Dig Deep, J.C. Watts offers seven powerful maxims that have kept him grounded throughout his roller-coaster career from star college quarterback to U.S. Congressman. The first black Republican ever elected to a leadership position in Congress, Watts resisted the rat-race of Washington and eventually declined re-election. His seven simple principles are a blueprint for living a fulfilling and meaningful life without falling to the temptations of reckless ambition or indulgence. Dig Deep is a powerful, simple guide that will help readers find the courage and faith to live the best life possible.Key Takeaways:[6:13] The need for more tax payers, and how you create that[10:43] Why adversity can be good for us, as long as we're willing to change[14:05] Why "we've always done it this way" isn't good enough anymore[17:00] JC's work with Feed the Children[19:45] How forgiving can set you free[23:18] An unfortunate series of events leading up to JC's first elected office that taught him an important lesson in forgivenessWebsites Mentioned:www.wattsconsultinggroup.comDig Deep: 7 Truths to Finding the Strength Within

Speaker: Dr Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Dr Dybul has worked on HIV and public health for more than 25 years as a clinician, scientist, teacher and administrator. After graduating from Georgetown Medical School in Washington DC, Dybul joined the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where he conducted basic and clinical studies on HIV virology, immunology and treatment optimisation, including the first randomised, controlled trial with combination antiretroviral therapy in Africa. Dybul became a founding architect and driving force in the formation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, better known as PEPFAR. After serving as Chief Medical Officer, Assistant, Deputy and Acting Director, he was appointed as its leader in 2006, becoming U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, with the rank of Ambassador at the level of an Assistant Secretary of State. He served until early 2009. Before coming to the Global Fund, Dybul was co-director of the Global Health Law Program at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, where he was also a Distinguished Scholar. Dybul has written extensively in scientific and policy literature, and has received several Honorary Degrees and awards. The Harold Mitchell Development Policy Annual Lecture Series, of which this is the fourth, has been created to provide a forum at which the most pressing development issues can be addressed by the best minds and most influential practitioners of our time. This lecture was presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, with generous support from the Harold Mitchell Foundation.

Tom Hart was at the center of the biggest international development debates of the last 15 years. Now serving as the US Director of the ONE Campaign, Hart lobbied for forgiving the debt of the world's poorest countries in the late 1990s, and in the early 2000s he helped pass the world's largest program to combat HIV/AIDS. In this episode. Hart tells the genesis story of the Jubilee Campaign, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. And "Genesis" is apt--Tom grew up in Alaska the son of an Episcopal minister and became the Washington, D.C. lobbyist for the Episcopal church. It's a very interesting story, accessible and interesting for wonks and non-wonks alike.       

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the director of NIAID – the National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Disease – where he is also Chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation. Dr. Fauci’s research interests lie primarily in the molecular mechanisms of HIV and AIDS, and he has published extensively on the interactions of HIV with the immune system. He’ll be speaking at the opening session of ICAAC – the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy – on October 25 in Washington DC, where he’ll describe some of the remaining challenges in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and antibiotic resistant microbes. Dr. Fauci is not only a researcher, he is also an important player in science policy in the U.S. He was a primary architect of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a program that received reauthorization and has a budget of $48 billion for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria around the world. In honor of his efforts to improve our understanding and treatment of HIV and AIDS, Dr. Fauci was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil award. In this interview, I talked with Dr. Fauci about progress in managing infectious disease on a global scale, why it’s the “devil you don’t know” that is still the scariest infectious disease of all, and about the roles of abstinence education and condom awareness in PEPFAR.