World Bank: AIDS Funding Cut Could Curtail Africa Growth

The World Bank hopes that the financial crisis would not mean reduced donor funding for programs to fight AIDS, a disease that has afflicted millions in Africa. “I would say that it is very difficult to see how we would scale up treatment if there are no more resources coming from the donors, because the African countries themselves cannot come up with that,” Elizabeth Lule, manager of the bank’s AIDS team for Africa, said. Funding cuts, according to Lule, would translate to “very high adult mortality which would then have a ripple effect on economic growth.” (“Africa growth may suffer if AIDS funds fall: World Bank” - Thomson Reuters, Dec. 3, 2008)