President of Leading Global AIDS Foundation Gives Keynote Address at National Pediatric AIDS Conference in Mozambique

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12/3/2007

Barnes discussed the importance of HIV prevention and treatment at the National Pediatric AIDS Conference in Maputo.

Maputo, Mozambique—Continued partnership among governments and leaders in the medical community is necessary to reach children and their families in the battle against HIV/AIDS, according to Pamela W. Barnes, the President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Barnes delivered a keynote address today at the first National Pediatric AIDS Conference in Maputo, Mozambique.

Barnes described the conference, which brought together 250 leading doctors from Mozambique and sub-Saharan Africa, government officials, and NGO representatives, as critical to children and their families in the region. She noted the importance of such gatherings to share ideas and determine the best ways to deliver HIV prevention services and treatment to those who need it most.

Barnes addressed the conference with other esteemed speakers, including Mozambique’s First Lady, Maria Da Luz Dai Guebuza, Mozambique’s Vice Minister of Health, Dr. Aida Limbombo, Dr. Leila Pakkala of UNICEF, and Dr. Orlanda Albuquerque, the Director of the National Pediatric Program.

Also in attendance were representatives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, UNICEF, and the Clinton Foundation.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation sponsored the event to support the Mozambique Ministry of Health’s commitment to treating and preventing HIV infection in children. The conference was also funded by the CDC and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In addition, it received support from ICAP, UNICEF, and the Clinton Foundation.

While calling the ability to safely and effectively prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV one of the greatest successes in the battle against HIV, Barnes pointed out that one tenth of HIV-positive pregnant women in resource-poor countries are receiving the medicines that can protect their babies. She said that there is an urgent need to expand coverage of services for these women, and that thousands of infections per year could be prevented as a result.

Barnes identified stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV-positive people as a challenge to locating and extending lifesaving care and treatment. “The greatest barrier to getting HIV-positive children on treatment is the difficulty finding those children in the first place,” she said.

She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the mother and father receive the treatment they need in order to survive and raise their child. “The best medicine you can have for any child is a healthy mother and father,” Barnes remarked.

Currently, there are more than 73,000 children living with HIV in Mozambique. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation supports Mozambique’s Ministry of Health in implementing its programs in the four provinces where the Foundation is presently working.

Since 2004, the Foundation has provided more than 141,000 women in Mozambique with access to critical PMTCT services. To date, the Foundation has also enrolled more than 20,300 adults and children into care and support programs. Of those enrolled, approximately 6,500 have begun antiretroviral treatment (ART), 310 of whom are children.

In Mozambique, the funding for the Foundation’s care and treatment program is provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and its PMTCT program is funded by USAID through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Currently working at 1,750 sites in 17 countries, the Foundation is a global leader supporting children and families in their fight against HIV/AIDS. To learn more, visit www.pedaids.org.

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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide.