Fear

Why does the US give billions to fight HIV/AIDS when Pneumonia and Diarrhea are the primary causes of child mortality?

I suspect that it might be fear.

The US is very well prepared to deal with most diseases, but HIV/AIDS continues to pose a serious threat to our sense of security.

Therefore, by eradicating the spread of this terrifying epidemic, our nation may perceive this as a blended value proposition. Containment keeps us safe.

Because we don't perceive easily treatable diseases as threats, helping others overcome these health concerns is seen as charity or a political gesture of diplomacy. There may be no perceived public benefit in addressing issues abroad that are not also domestic problems. Is saving millions of lives not a valuable enough proposition?

It becomes valuable when you begin to think of these problems as long-term investments. The next generation could be our new trade partners. They could become contributing members to the global economy and expand the global GDP by trillions of dollars. However, in order to see these tangible results would require patience, which is a trait that most of us lack.

But, if it takes a cause like HIV/AIDS to get us to care, then it is certainly better than nothing!