Tuesday, January 13, 2009

US Global AIDS Coordinator will stay into Obama administration

A quick note that we found in last night's items that we are way behind on...

The leader of the US Global AIDS Task Force has been asked to stay on during the Obama administration. Many AIDS activists have been calling on President-Elect Barack Obama to replace Mark Dybul.

We found mention of the appointment on a Washington Post blog concerning the transition in US power.

Amb. Mark Dybul, the U.S. Global AIDS coordinator, informed his staff via email Friday that he was asked to stay on for an indeterminate length of time.

Earlier speculation had Nils Daulaire, president and CEO of the Global Health Council, as a top contender for the post.

Dybul, an openly gay physician, has overseen the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Some reproductive rights and AIDS advocates have complained that the international relief program has been hampered by the president's more conservative social views.

In December, the International Women's Health Coalition, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, and Results, an anti-poverty and global health organization, wrote letters to the Obama transition team urging him to make selecting a leader for the global AIDS fight a priority or give it new direction.

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