Saving AIDS Drugs for African Victims From a news story by

CNN San Francisco Reporter Greg Lefevre

In some African countries, the cost of treating an AIDS patient may exceed his or her entire annual income. Here in the U.S., some hospitals and clinics routinely destroy huge quantities of the life saving drugs. That prompted one man to launch a crusade.

From his cramped, one bedroom San Francisco apartment, Lee Wildes almost single handedly takes on one the biggest problems in the world, AIDS in Africa. Lee Wildes as he works says, "Through her work she was able to send us e-mails saying she was needing refills." Refills of AIDS drugs: surplus, or leftovers, from U.S. clinics, or hospitals, or from the survivors of those who died from AIDS. Lee Wildes says, "I knew, having been a nurse, that I had thrown away millions and millions of dollars worth of drugs. And that no nurse likes to do it." Five years ago, after learning he was HIV positive, Wildes took a vacation in Africa and [he] saw first hand the scale of its AIDS epidemic. When he returned to the United States, he learned new drugs were prolonging lives of those with aids and began a personal campaign to get the drugs to Africa. Lee Wildes says, "We're not just putting medicine in a box, helter skelter, and God hope it gets to the same patient." Consulting with African doctors by mail, e-mail and telephone, Wildes acts as case manager for ahundred patients in six African countries. "40 mgs a day, for three months...", he says as he reads through his mail. [He is] carefully filling doctors' prescriptions and documenting the medications. Once a year, he goes to Africa to work in clinics. "This man was so confused and disoriented and so sick I was certain he wouldn't make it, and right now he's a metal worker doing heavy steel work, doing work that I couldn't do." What Wildes is doing is illegal; dispensing drugs without a license but it's not likely he'll be prosecuted for his humanitarian effort. With more than 25 million Africans infected with the AIDS virus, Wildes' 100 patients may seem like a small success but it is a success admired by those trying to fight AIDS on a global scale. [Dr. Richard Feacham of the University of California San Francisco Institute for Global Health says]: "In the face of the enormity and horror of the epidemic, and in the face of such little action, it's very natural that individuals who really care about this problem become motivated and active to do something about it." Wildes says he's not only helping a few but creating a treatment model he hopes will show governments and drug companies what can be done.

Vocabulary1 exceed a) to not reach the limit b) to go beyond the limitc) to be bad d) to run out

2 routine a) unusual way of doing things b) the right way to get somewherec) to dig out d) usual or regular way of doing things

3 surplus a) quantity over what is needed b) an unexpected eventc) quantity less than what is needed d) things that are bad

4 survivor a) person who measures boundaries b) person who died after a long illnessc) person who is left after others have died d) person who went down with the ship

5 prolong a) to lengthen b) to shortenc) to bore d) to lay down

6 consulta) to give information to b) to agree toc) to teach d) to seek information from

7 prescription a) medicine that is thrown away b) medicine ordered by a doctorc) medicine bought from a drug store d) a medical book

8 prosecute a) to abuse someone b) to praise someonec) to bring legal action in a court d) to make someone lie down

9 humanitarian

English Department Worksheet n°____Sindy Rodríguez Date: ___________

a) a person who helps other people b) a person who hurts other peoplec) a person who sell drugs d) a person who puts others in jail.

10 enormity a) lack of importance b) usual statec) lack of size d) great seriousness

Word Selection

1 A person who works on a problem alone does it ________ .a) as a team b) single-handedly c) as a duet d)double-handed

2 The people who remain after others have died are called _________ .a) surveyors b) dead beats c) survivors d) patients

3 A disease which attacks many people at the same time is called _________ .a) an epidemic b) an episode c) a surplus d) a routine

4 Lee Wildes ________ drugs to AIDS patients in Africa.a) prescribes b) makes c) disperses d) dispenses

5 About 25 million Africans are _______ with the AIDS virus.a) inflicted b) blessed c) infected d) exceeded

Multiple Choice

1 From the article, the reader learns that Lee Wildes lives a) in Africa b) in a small apartment c) in a large house d) in a hospital

2 The AIDS drugs that Lee Wildes uses are a) stolen from hospitals. b) given to him by AIDS patients who have extra.c) left overs from hospitals, clinics, or people. d)given to him by drug companies.

3 Five years ago, when Lee Wildes visited Africa, a) he saw very few people with AIDS. b) he saw plenty of drugs to help people with AIDS.c) he saw doctors with plenty of medicine. d) he saw that there was an AIDS epidemic.

4 By acting as a case manager, Lee Wildes can a) send drugs on order to a small group of people. b) send drugs and hopes that right people get them.c) send whatever drugs he gets from clinics. d) write his own prescriptions.

5 Dispensing drugs without a prescription is a) legal, and Wildes will be prosecuted. b) illegal, and Wildes will be sent to jail.c) illegal, but Wildes probably won't be prosecuted. d) something anyone can do.

Sequencing

Lee Wildes took a trip to Africa and saw many people with AIDS. ____Lee Wildes send drugs to Africa to help people with AIDS. ____Lee Wildes was a nurse and saw many drugs being thrown away. ____Lee Wildes found out that he was HIV positive. ____

Conclusions

1 In Africa more people die from AIDS becausea) the medicine to help is too expensive. b) the people take too many drugs.c) the doctors don't know which drugs to give. d) the clinics will not see the people with AIDS.

2 The problem of AIDS in Africa is a) less serious than the United States. b) being solved more quickly there.c) making lots of doctors want to move to Africa. d) is very serious because there are so many people infected with AIDS.

3 Drugs are thrown away in the United State because a) hospitals have too much money. b) the drugs can only be given to the person on the prescription. c) too many drugs are ordered. d) the people with AIDS refuse the drugs.

4 Doctors in the United States and Africa a) help Lee Wildes because he is trying to help others. b) don't help Lee Wildes because it is illegal.c) don't help Lee Wildes because he doesn't help people with AIDS. d) help Lee Wildes because they can make money.

5 Lee Wildes' efforts

a) weren't important because he only helped a few people. b) could be a model for others to follow.c) should be against the law. d) were dangerous.

Open Questions.

1. Would you use the word hero to describe Lee Wildes? Why or why not?

2. What do you think should be done with the leftover drugs?