Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation CEO Commends Efforts of Zambia Partners to Eliminate Pediatric HIV and AIDS
February 23, 2010
Lusaka, Zambia—The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) welcomed its new president and CEO, Charles Lyons, to Zambia, February 22-24. Lyons met with Zambian and U.S. government officials, donor agencies, implementing partners and other key stakeholders to discuss how best to collaborate in addressing the country’s most pressing HIV/AIDS issues.
Lyons got a first-hand look at the Foundation’s key programs and the work of its major partners, including the Zambian Ministry of Health (MOH), the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Africa Directions, Macha Research Trust, and others.
EGPAF receives funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through an agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These funds support prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), care and treatment service delivery, and other HIV/AIDS-related programs. EGPAF is dedicated to promoting PMTCT and pediatric HIV care globally.
In Zambia, EGPAF works with the MOH and CIDRZ to provide care and treatment in four of Zambia’s nine provinces for children and families living with HIV and AIDS, as well as services to prevent the transmission of HIV from a mother to her child. Together with its partners, EGPAF supports 299 PMTCT service sites and 63 HIV/AIDS care and treatment facilities in Zambia. Rather than build or support parallel services, EGPAF supports MOH clinic sites to strengthen the Zambian health system and build national capacity for care delivery and for sustainability for programs
As of September 30, 2009, with PEPFAR funding and in collaboration with the Zambian government, EGPAF has ensured that 750,000 women in Zambia received vital PMTCT services and enrolled more than 213,000 people, including over 15,000 children, into HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs. Of these, EGPAF funding supports antiretroviral therapy for over 136,000 HIV-positive individuals (ART), including more than 9,700 children less than 15 years of age.
Site visits and meetings by the EGPAF CEO were followed by an evening reception on Tuesday, February 23, at the Henry Tayali Gallery in Lusaka. Lyons presented “Heart of Gold” awards at the reception to two Zambian high school students to recognize them for their community service to fight HIV/AIDS and their support to peers living with HIV and AIDS.
“I am honored to come to Zambia and see how we and our partners carry out lifesaving work,” said Lyons. “With our partners, I look forward to our continuing collaborations to advance our shared goal of eliminating pediatric HIV and AIDS.”
“EGPAF Zambia appreciates the leadership of the Zambian government in fighting HIV/AIDS, as well as our PEPFAR funding through CDC. We will continue to align our efforts with the Zambian National AIDS Strategic Framework,” said Mr. Carl Henn, EGPAF country director for Zambia.
About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, based in the U.S. and working in 17 countries around the world, is a global leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its focused technical expertise, innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, global advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide.
For more information, visit
www.pedaids.org/jointhemoment.