AIDS is still a killer

Re “The AIDS count,” editorial, Nov. 27

As the editorial points out, the revised figures on the number of people worldwide with AIDS should be no reason to proclaim “mission accomplished.” On the contrary, more than 2 million people with AIDS died last year, and the biggest killer among them is a disease that’s been curable for more than half a century -- tuberculosis. Not surprisingly, TB remains a potent killer in Africa, where large numbers of the population are infected with HIV, which compromises their immune systems and makes them more susceptible to TB.

Congress is on the verge of providing much-needed relief against TB. The House recently passed the Stop Tuberculosis Now Act, authorizing the U.S. share of funding for the Global Plan to Stop TB. The Senate must do likewise. No one should have to die from a disease that can be treated with $20 worth of drugs.

Steve Valk

Atlanta