US CODE: Title 22,2151b–2. Assistance to combat HIV/AIDS

TITLE 22 > CHAPTER 32 > SUBCHAPTER I > Part I > § 2151b–2

§ 2151b–2. Assistance to combat HIV/AIDS

(a) Finding

Congress recognizes that the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and other developing countries is a major global health, national security, development, and humanitarian crisis.

(b) Policy

It is a major objective of the foreign assistance program of the United States to provide assistance for the prevention, treatment, and control of HIV/AIDS. The United States and other developed countries should provide assistance to countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and other countries and areas to control this crisis through HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, monitoring, and related activities, particularly activities focused on women and youth, including strategies to protect women and prevent mother-to-child transmission of the HIV infection.

(1) In general

Consistent with section 2151b (c) of this title, the President is authorized to furnish assistance, on such terms and conditions as the President may determine, for HIV/AIDS, including to prevent, treat, and monitor HIV/AIDS, and carry out related activities, in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and other countries and areas.

(2) Role of NGOs

It is the sense of Congress that the President should provide an appropriate level of assistance under paragraph (1) through nongovernmental organizations (including faith-based and community-based organizations) in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and other countries and areas affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

(3) Coordination of assistance efforts

The President shall coordinate the provision of assistance under paragraph (1) with the provision of related assistance by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other appropriate international organizations (such as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), relevant regional multilateral development institutions, national, state, and local governments of foreign countries, appropriate governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and relevant executive branch agencies.

(d) Activities supported

Assistance provided under subsection (c) of this section shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be used to carry out the following activities:

(1) Prevention

Prevention of HIV/AIDS through activities including—

(A) programs and efforts that are designed or intended to impart knowledge with the exclusive purpose of helping individuals avoid behaviors that place them at risk of HIV infection, including integration of such programs into health programs and the inclusion in counseling programs of information on methods of avoiding infection of HIV, including delaying sexual debut, abstinence, fidelity and monogamy, reduction of casual sexual partnering, reducing sexual violence and coercion, including child marriage, widow inheritance, and polygamy, and where appropriate, use of condoms;

(B) assistance to establish and implement culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs that focus on helping individuals avoid infection of HIV/AIDS, implemented through nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based and community-based organizations, particularly those organizations that utilize both professionals and volunteers with appropriate skills, experience, and community presence;

(C) assistance for the purpose of encouraging men to be responsible in their sexual behavior, child rearing, and to respect women;

(D) assistance for the purpose of providing voluntary testing and counseling (including the incorporation of confidentiality protections with respect to such testing and counseling);

(E) assistance for the purpose of preventing mother-to-child transmission of the HIV infection, including medications to prevent such transmission and access to infant formula and other alternatives for infant feeding;

(F) assistance to ensure a safe blood supply and sterile medical equipment;

(G) assistance to help avoid substance abuse and intravenous drug use that can lead to HIV infection; and

(H) assistance for the purpose of increasing women’s access to employment opportunities, income, productive resources, and microfinance programs, where appropriate.

(2) Treatment

The treatment and care of individuals with HIV/AIDS, including—

(A) assistance to establish and implement programs to strengthen and broaden indigenous health care delivery systems and the capacity of such systems to deliver HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and otherwise provide for the treatment of individuals with HIV/AIDS, including clinical training for indigenous organizations and health care providers;

(B) assistance to strengthen and expand hospice and palliative care programs to assist patients debilitated by HIV/AIDS, their families, and the primary caregivers of such patients, including programs that utilize faith-based and community-based organizations; and

(C) assistance for the purpose of the care and treatment of individuals with HIV/AIDS through the provision of pharmaceuticals, including antiretrovirals and other pharmaceuticals and therapies for the treatment of opportunistic infections, nutritional support, and other treatment modalities.

(3) Preventative intervention education and technologies

(A) With particular emphasis on specific populations that represent a particularly high risk of contracting or spreading HIV/AIDS, including those exploited through the sex trade, victims of rape and sexual assault, individuals already infected with HIV/AIDS, and in cases of occupational exposure of health care workers, assistance with efforts to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS infection including post-exposure pharmaceutical prophylaxis, and necessary pharmaceuticals and commodities, including test kits, condoms, and, when proven effective, microbicides.

(B) Bulk purchases of available test kits, condoms, and, when proven effective, microbicides that are intended to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission and for appropriate program support for the introduction and distribution of these commodities, as well as education and training on the use of the technologies.

(4) Monitoring

The monitoring of programs, projects, and activities carried out pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (3), including—

(A) monitoring to ensure that adequate controls are established and implemented to provide HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and other appropriate medicines to poor individuals with HIV/AIDS;

(B) appropriate evaluation and surveillance activities;

(C) monitoring to ensure that appropriate measures are being taken to maintain the sustainability of HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals (especially antiretrovirals) and ensure that drug resistance is not compromising the benefits of such pharmaceuticals; and

(D) monitoring to ensure appropriate law enforcement officials are working to ensure that HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals are not diminished through illegal counterfeiting or black market sales of such pharmaceuticals.

(5) Pharmaceuticals

(A) Procurement

The procurement of HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals, antiviral therapies, and other appropriate medicines, including medicines to treat opportunistic infections.

(B) Mechanisms for quality control and sustainable supply

Mechanisms to ensure that such HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals, antiretroviral therapies, and other appropriate medicines are quality-controlled and sustainably supplied.

The distribution of such HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals, antiviral therapies, and other appropriate medicines (including medicines to treat opportunistic infections) to qualified national, regional, or local organizations for the treatment of individuals with HIV/AIDS in accordance with appropriate HIV/AIDS testing and monitoring requirements and treatment protocols and for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the HIV infection.

(6) Related activities

The conduct of related activities, including—

(A) the care and support of children who are orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, including services designed to care for orphaned children in a family environment which rely on extended family members;

(B) improved infrastructure and institutional capacity to develop and manage education, prevention, and treatment programs, including training and the resources to collect and maintain accurate HIV surveillance data to target programs and measure the effectiveness of interventions; and

(C) vaccine research and development partnership programs with specific plans of action to develop a safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccine for use throughout the world.

(7) Comprehensive HIV/AIDS public-private partnerships

The establishment and operation of public-private partnership entities within countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and other countries affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic that are dedicated to supporting the national strategy of such countries regarding the prevention, treatment, and monitoring of HIV/AIDS. Each such public-private partnership should—

(A) support the development, implementation, and management of comprehensive HIV/AIDS plans in support of the national HIV/AIDS strategy;

(B) operate at all times in a manner that emphasizes efficiency, accountability, and results-driven programs;

(C) engage both local and foreign development partners and donors, including businesses, government agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, multilateral development agencies, and faith-based organizations, to assist the country in coordinating and implementing HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and monitoring programs in accordance with its national HIV/AIDS strategy;

(D) provide technical assistance, consultant services, financial planning, monitoring and evaluation, and research in support of the national HIV/AIDS strategy; and

(E) establish local human resource capacities for the national HIV/AIDS strategy through the transfer of medical, managerial, leadership, and technical skills.

(e) Annual report

(1) In general

Not later than January 31 of each year, the President shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this section for the prior fiscal year.

(2) Report elements

Each report shall include—

(A) a description of efforts made by each relevant executive branch agency to implement the policies set forth in this section, section 2151b–3 of this title, and section 2151b–4 of this title;

(B) a description of the programs established pursuant to such sections; and

(i)

(I) the effectiveness of such programs in reducing the spread of the HIV infection, particularly in women and girls, in reducing mother-to-child transmission of the HIV infection, and in reducing mortality rates from HIV/AIDS; and

(II) the number of patients currently receiving treatment for AIDS in each country that receives assistance under this chapter.

(ii) the progress made toward improving health care delivery systems (including the training of adequate numbers of staff) and infrastructure to ensure increased access to care and treatment;

(iii) with respect to tuberculosis, the increase in the number of people treated and the increase in number of tuberculosis patients cured through each program, project, or activity receiving United States foreign assistance for tuberculosis control purposes; and

(iv) with respect to malaria, the increase in the number of people treated and the increase in number of malaria patients cured through each program, project, or activity receiving United States foreign assistance for malaria control purposes.

(f) Funding limitation

Of the funds made available to carry out this section in any fiscal year, not more than 7 percent may be used for the administrative expenses of the United States Agency for International Development in support of activities described in section 2151b (c) of this title, this section, section 2151b–3 of this title, and section 2151b–4 of this title. Such amount shall be in addition to other amounts otherwise available for such purposes.

(g) Definitions

In this section:

(1) AIDS

The term “AIDS” means acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

(2) HIV

The term “HIV” means the human immunodeficiency virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS.

(3) HIV/AIDS

The term “HIV/AIDS” means, with respect to an individual, an individual who is infected with HIV or living with AIDS.

(4) Relevant executive branch agencies

The term “relevant executive branch agencies” means the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Health and Human Services (including its agencies and offices), and any other department or agency of the United States that participates in international HIV/AIDS activities pursuant to the authorities of such department or agency or this chapter.

Notes
1 Pending Update(s)
Parallel authorities (CFR)
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