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President Obama pledged to help 6 million people in countries hardest hit by HIV, by helping to provide greater access to antiretroviral drugs by the end of 2013 during a World AIDS Day event in Washington, The Daily Beast reports.

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During his remarks, Obama stressed that the U.S. has quite a way to go in fighting the disease.  He especially focused on how the disease affects the African American community.

“The rate of new infections may be going down elsewhere, but it’s not going down here in America,” he said. “There are communities in this country being devastated still by this disease. When new infections among young, black, gay men increase by nearly 50 percent in three years, we need to do more to show them that their lives matter.”

During his remarks, Obama gave some props to former President George W. Bush for his Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program, “which focuses on prevention, treatment and support programs in 15 countries hit hardest by the AIDS pandemic, 12 of them in Africa,” according to the Associate Press.

“That program — more ambitious than even leading advocates thought was possible at the time — has saved thousands and thousands and thousands of lives, spurred international action, and laid the foundation for a comprehensive global plan that will impact the lives of millions,” Obama said. “And we are proud that we have the opportunity to carry that work forward.”

Do you feel the U.S. government is doing enough to end HIV-AIDS? Was President Obama justified in praising former President George W. Bush on his AIDS efforts while he was in office?

Give us your thoughts.

Read the rest of the story at The Daily Beast.

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