The Gazette: Guest Column: Colorado’s role in fighting three epidemics
Christie Renner, researcher

“…As each country defines its financial commitment [to the Global Fund replenishment in October], U.S. leadership is critical to continued progress against [AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria], each of which is also present in the United States. … As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner is in a unique position to influence the president on this issue. By serving on that committee, the senator has assumed responsibility for making sure the United States maintains its Global Fund commitments, keeping with the original vision of former President Bush. As Sen. Gardner’s constituents, it’s our responsibility to make sure the senator knows that we expect the United States to remain a leader in fighting these diseases by continuing to provide one-third of the Global Fund’s resources. The situation requires no less. When the U.S. shows up, other countries do the same, and people get well. When a country’s citizens are healthy, economic development occurs naturally. With economic stability, international peace is possible. Already countries who began as recipients of Global Fund investment have seen such success that they’ve become donors to the fund. Maintaining U.S. support of the Global Fund is a wise investment with impressive returns” (6/20).