America.gov (Washington, DC)
Kathryn Mcconnell
31 July 2008
When President Bush proposed a large-scale, multiyear effort to fight HIV/AIDS in January 2003, only 50,000 people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa were receiving anti-retroviral treatment.
Congress subsequently approved the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -- known as PEPFAR -- and authorized an initial $15 billion in funding for five years. It recently reauthorized the program, approving $48 billion in new funding for PEPFAR through 2014.
PEPFAR's approach to combating HIV/AIDS combines treatment with prevention and care. Nearly half -- or 47 percent -- of PEPFAR's funding in 2007 was focused on treatment, and by March approximately 1.64 million people in 15 targeted countries had received anti-retroviral therapy.
Globally, PEPFAR-supported treatment has reached 1.73 million men, women and children, and another 33 million have received counseling and testing. Thirteen of PEPFAR's target countries are in sub-Saharan Africa, home to more than two-thirds of all people living with HIV/AIDS.
Other PEPFAR funding supported programs to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy and among injection drug users and to ensure safety of blood supplies.
A total of 6.6 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including nearly 3 million AIDS-vulnerable children, have received some type of care through PEPFAR-supported programs, according to PEPFAR's 2008 annual report.
PEPFAR EXPANDING ITS REACH THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
In 2007 PEPFAR expanded its scope by integrating with food and nutrition programs its care programs for people living with HIV/AIDS, HIV-positive pregnant and lactating women, and vulnerable children.
PEPFAR also supports programs to strengthen coping and prevention curricula in schools. In 2007, approximately $180 million supported education activities, some of it as grants to buy educational materials in exchange for the schools' dropping attendance fees for vulnerable children.
Working with other U.S. government programs and agencies such as the President's Malaria Initiative, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps, PEPFAR partners with host country governments, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector.
One partnership with PlayPumpsâ„¢ International, the Case Foundation and other organizations supports a $60 million effort to bring clean water to families in Africa. The partnership is installing merry-go-rounds attached to community water pumps at nearly 700 schools and health centers in 10 countries. The energy of children using the play equipment then pumps safe water for communities.
PEPFAR also partners with PepsiCo and the International Labor Organization to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS among PepsiCo employees in India. Like many other employers, PepsiCo wants to retain a healthy work force.
Another partnership involving Motorola, Accenture Development Partners, GSM Association Development Fund and MTN Voxiva is using technology to connect health care systems in 10 PEPFAR-supported countries. The $10 million Phones-for-Health program will make timely, accurate information available to HIV/AIDS program managers and service providers.
In 2007, PEPFAR invested approximately $638 million in health care infrastructure improvements, including building construction and renovation, laboratories and medical equipment, and training for service providers. Through 2007, PEPFAR supported nearly 2.6 million training sessions for health care workers.
PEPFAR also supports country efforts to better survey and evaluate the health of their populations, and to map the locations of treatment and care sites to identify geographic gaps.
Nearly 2 million people have received treatment through programs jointly supported by PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. PEPFAR provides approximately one-third of the Global Fund's budget - approximately $2.5 billion so far, more than any other contributor.
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