LETTER TO EDITOR: A global tool

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In your Wednesday editorial titled "AIDS funding boondoggle," you wrongly accuse the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria of paying for "coercive sterilizations and abortion."

The Global Fund finances prevention, care and treatment programs for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It does not support any activities that are not designed to contribute to the reduction of the three diseases. Neither abortion — whether voluntary or not — nor coercive sterilizations have anything to do with prevention against the three diseases, and such activities have never been financed through any Global Fund grants.

Audits conducted by the Global Fund, including biannual audits by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, have never reported any links between the Global Fund and abortion or coercive-sterilization services.

Created in 2002, the Global Fund is a critical tool in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria. The Global Fund is fulfilling its promise as an innovative and effective financing mechanism that funds prevention, care and treatment programs. With the United States as the leading funder, the Global Fund has, so far, been able to save more than 2.5 million lives through AIDS, TB or malaria programs in 136 countries.

Christoph Benn

Director of external relations

Global Fund to Fight AIDS,

Tuberculosis and Malaria

Washington