Tom Coburn: “For $4 a baby, we can prevent HIV infection in Africa, $4. That is all it takes, one dose of nevirapine, and the…”

“For $4 a baby, we can prevent HIV infection in Africa, $4. That is all it takes, one dose of nevirapine, and the pregnant woman who has HIV for her child not to become infected. This bill brings forward the first of many challenges that the world is going to face in terms of HIV. About 3 months ago, I met with directors, AIDS directors of 21 African countries and visited with them about what they were doing. My hope is, as we pass this bill and we assess the success that I know that is going to take place in Africa, because we have already seen major changes in two countries, Uganda and Senegal, my hope is that, as we vote for this, that we will apply the same common sense to the AIDS epidemic in America. See, the same women, African-American women are being unduly hit by this disease. The same children, African-American children in America are five times more likely to contract this disease than a white child. An Hispanic child is three times more likely to contract this disease.”