The following is a summary of opinion pieces and an editorial marking World AIDS Day, which was observed on Sunday, as well as a replenishment meeting for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s taking place this week in Washington, D.C.

• Georgia Arnold, Huffington Post’s “Impact” blog: “There are over 1.6 billion people between the ages of 12 and 24 years in the world today; if we can mobilize them in the fight against HIV, then we really do have an opportunity to turn the tide of this epidemic once and for all,” Arnold, executive director of the Staying Alive Foundation, writes (12/1).
• Rose Caldwell, Huffington Post U.K. Blog: “As we approach World AIDS Day it is vital to highlight that people who live with HIV and AIDS in the developing world need to receive more than just medicine. They need nutritious food as well,” Caldwell, executive director of Concern Worldwide (U.K.), writes (11/29).
• Joanne Carter, The Hill’s “Congress Blog”: “At this week’s Global Fund pledging conference, world leaders will help make [success against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria] a reality,” Carter, the executive director of RESULTS, writes. “If we were to miss this chance, not only would we lose lives and squander our progress, but also risk rebounding infection rates, growing drug resistance, and the epidemics outpacing the science to combat them,” she states (12/2).
• Kevin Robert Frost and Sharon Stone, CNN: “[J]ust as a cure for HIV/AIDS is beginning to seem like a realistic proposition, the belt-tightening measures of the age of austerity could halt our momentum, cripple our progress and dash our hopes for ending AIDS in our lifetime,” Frost, the chief executive officer of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and Stone, an actress and amfAR’s global fundraising chair, write. “Backpedal on AIDS, and you’ll pretty much guarantee that we’ll be dealing with it for generations to come,” they state (12/1).
• Warner Greene, Los Angeles Times: “The scientific community has made tremendous strides against this disease,” Greene, a physician and the director of virology and immunology research at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, writes, adding, “But it will take a renewed commitment of research funds if we are deliver on that hope. We are unlikely to put an end to the disease if we allow AIDS fatigue to take hold” (12/1).
• Alicia Keys, Huffington Post’s “The Big Push” blog: “World AIDS Day reminds us all of the role we have in ending this disease: We can encourage our representatives to expand funding for PEPFAR and the Global Fund,” Keys, a singer and AIDS activist, writes. “Let’s be bold enough to imagine that in 10 years — 2023 — all people living with HIV in the world will have access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment,” she adds (12/1).
• Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Huffington Post’s “Politics” blog: “[N]ow is the time to redouble our efforts to support a strong $5 billion pledge for the Global Fund and new program targets for PEPFAR,” Lee writes, adding, “The ultimate goal of the end of AIDS, an AIDS-free generation, is achievable, if we remain committed to funding treatment and prevention programs, provide comprehensive sexual education to young people around the world, and continue to make AIDS funding a priority in Congress while searching for a cure and vaccine” (12/2).
• Gayle Northrop, Thomson Reuters Foundation: “We can see an AIDS-free generation, in our lifetime — even in Africa, where 91 percent of the world’s HIV-positive children live. But this is only possible with skilled health staff and competent managers who can plan and coordinate the resources needed to orchestrate a continuum of care from pregnancy through delivery and beyond,” Northrop, associate director of Johnson & Johnson’s Partnership for Management Development, writes (12/1).
• Brian Ssennoga and Amy McDonough, Huffington Post’s “Global Motherhood” blog: “As Global Health Corps fellows at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), we are inspired by and want to build on the incredible efforts to make HIV/AIDS a menace of the past,” Ssennoga and McDonough write, adding, “On this World AIDS Day, it is time to make the entire world part of the project by making prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV a routine service and ensure that every single health center is on track to get new HIV infections to zero” (11/27).
• James Whiting, Huffington Post U.K.’s “Impact” blog: “Our generation could end deaths from two of the greatest diseases mankind has ever faced, HIV/AIDS and malaria,” Whiting, executive director of Malaria No More U.K., writes. “Britain is willing and ready to commit funding which could put 750,000 people on life-saving antiretroviral therapy, distribute 35 million mosquito nets and help protect a million people from TB,” he states, and he calls on “other governments and donors need to step and share the responsibility” (11/29).
• Philippine Star: UNAIDS “says it is beginning to control the global epidemic,” the editorial states, noting, “The focus of UNAIDS at this time is to promote AIDS prevention, treatment and care for young victims.” The newspaper writes, “Counseling and timely testing can go a long way in preventing the spread of HIV among vulnerable groups, according to UNAIDS. Getting to zero is not a far-fetched goal” (12/2).