A group of European nations will be able to provide treatment to hundreds of thousands of children with AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The five nations expect to altogether raise more than $300 million for the causes during 2007. The money is greatly needed in Asian and African countries where treatments for these ailments are far-between and too expensive for many families to afford.
This plan, when enacted, will draw much-needed money from those who need it least to those who need it most.
The money will come from an airfare tax that will be placed on all tickets purchased within these countries. In France, international airfare ticket taxes will range from bout $5 to $50, depending on which class the passenger purchases.
Considering people already can shell out hundreds of dollars for a plane ticket, why not have them pay a bit more to help those in need?
There are a few other countries that are considering joining into the airfare tax plan. However, the United States is not one of them. Because the United States already has its own AIDS programs helping those suffering across the world, the offer to join in the airfare tax plan was rejected.
No matter how many causes the U.S. contributes to, the effort never will suffice. Many Americans that will be flying have a few extra dollars to put toward this tax. Who would complain that their ticket costs more because $10 is going to aid children of Asia and Africa who are suffering from such diseases?
Also, the United States has rejected the plan on the grounds that it already supports AIDS causes. But the countries involved in the airfare tax also will contribute to the fight against other significant diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis.
The money raised by taxes would come from people who can afford it. It also gives people an easy and affordable way to help decrease the impact that such tragic diseases have on so many.
Ignoring this opportunity to cut closer to the global defeat of these diseases is irresponsible.