Some of the first AIDS cases in the United States were reported in San Francisco more than 30 years ago.

Lonner said for Chevron, good health is good business.

“It wasn’t just an issue that’s personal, but it’s certainly a business issue as well. It affects our employees, our workforce, their families. So we have a very close connection to some of these most intractable diseases,” he said.

Chevron nearly has 60,000 employees worldwide.

Round 11 knockout

The cancellation of the funding cycle known as Round 11 has raised concerns among healthcare and treatment providers and patients. The worldwide recession struck just as major advancements had been made using antiretroviral therapy as a prevention method. Also, there was encouraging news regarding vaccine research and microbicides.

Lonner said, “I think that the global economy’s obviously affected funding from donor governments, who obviously have competing priorities, but we think these pandemics are important ones.”

He added contributions from corporations like Chevron and Coca-Cola could set an example in tough economic times.

“The private sector I believe brings credibility to these issues. When national governments see the private sector, which is inherently bottom line-oriented, make these kind of investments I would hope that it encourages national governments to take the same step and make the commitments to address issues in their own countries and in countries in need. The private sector collectively can make a significant impact, but still can’t come close to touching the scale of national governments,” he said.