A Talk on Pediatric Tuberculosis and HIV

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
March 29, 2011

Dr. Anneke Hesseling and Foundation
Director of Clinical and Basic Research
Dr. Jeffrey Safrit. (Photo: EGPAF)

Last week marked World Tuberculosis (TB) Day – a day to raise awareness of the dangerous spread of TB worldwide, particularly among children and families living with HIV.

Dr. Anneke Hesseling – Director of the Pediatric TB Research Program at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in South Africa, and a recipient of our International Leadership Award (ILA) for research – visited the Foundation’s D.C. offices to update us on the promising results of her work focused on children with both TB and HIV, two intertwined issues.

Preventing and treating TB infection in women and children is an important and vital step in the fight against HIV/AIDS. As the leading cause of death among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, TB affects millions around the globe every year.

Click past the jump for more and to watch a video of Dr. Hesseling discussing childhood tuberculosis.

What We're Reading: International Women's Day Celebrated Worldwide

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
March 11, 2011

A nurse at a clinic in Cote d'Ivoire in
Western Africa
(Photo: EGPAF/Olivier Asselin)

It was an historic week for women worldwide, with Tuesday marking the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. It was an opportunity to highlight the incredible gains women have seen in the past century, as well as the significant challenges they still face. Universal access to health care is one of the largest problems. Far too many women still do not receive basic health services, including those for maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs.

There were several articles commemorating this important day written by influential men and women throughout the globe – including PEPFAR Ambassador Eric Goosby, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former U.K. First Lady Sarah Brown. They highlighted recent successes in women’s health – such as preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa – and other actions desperately needed to reduce maternal and infant mortality – such as increasing the number of health care workers in countries like Malawi.

Click past the jump for a recap of these articles from Foundation Senior Public Policy and Advocacy Officer Jen Pollakusky.

What We're Reading: Congressional Spending Cuts Threaten Global Health Programs

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
February 15, 2011

U.S. Capitol Building

This week, the buzz in Washington, D.C. and on Capitol Hill is all about the budget.

Last Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives released a new spending proposal for this fiscal year, which includes significant cuts to foreign aid – including more than $500 million in cuts for global HIV and AIDS programs.

The proposed cuts have brought out many voices in support of continued and increased foreign aid funding, including former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson in the Huffington Post, and Washington Post op-ed columnist Michael Gerson.

Click past the jump for links to both articles as well as a link to contact your U.S. representative and urge him or her to support children and families with HIV.

Smart Investments in the Fight against HIV and AIDS

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
February 14, 2011

Dr. Anja Giphart (Photo: EGPAF/Jen Pollakusky)

How will the U.S. continue to lead the largest, most comprehensive initiative to combat HIV and AIDS worldwide, while addressing the current economic realities here and abroad?

This was the question posed last week in Washington, D.C., at a meeting attended by the Foundation and convened by the U.S. Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

The answer: by making smarter investments in programs that we know are working.

In a day-long meeting last week, a group of panelists, including the Foundation's Vice President of Program Implementation Dr. Anja Giphart, examined how to ensure programs like PEPFAR spend U.S. dollars efficiently and effectively, while saving the most possible lives.

Continue past the jump to read more about the meeting and Dr. Giphart's presentation, which highlighted the impact of successful HIV prevention programs.

Maternal and Child Health at the 15th African Union Summit

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Nairobi, Kenya
July 30, 2010

African leaders from across the continent came together to discuss the importance of maternal and child health and other issues at the 15th African Union summit, which took place from July 19 – 27 in Kampala, Uganda. The theme of the 2010 summit, Maternal, Infant, and Child Health and Development in Africa, was a significant opportunity for heads of state to discuss important health issues affecting women and children across Africa, including HIV and AIDS.

One Test at a Time

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Free State, South Africa
May 10, 2010

Last week, community members flocked to Thaba N’chu clinic in Free State, South Africa dressed in warm, traditional Basotho blankets to listen to district health officials highlight the urgent need to get tested for HIV and halt the spread of HIV and AIDS in their communities and across South Africa.