What We're Reading: Potential Funding Cuts Would Harm Efforts to Eliminate Pediatric AIDS

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
April 1, 2011

This week we’re reading articles from Foundation representatives about the potentially harmful effects of U.S. budget cuts to successful programs preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in Africa.

The Houston Chronicle published two op-eds, one written by Foundation Ambassador Fortunata Kasege urging Americans to continue supporting these programs, and a second urging the state legislature to preserve funding for Texans living with HIV.

Also this week, Foundation’s Country Director for Uganda Dr. Edward Bitarakwate was interviewed by Voice of America about the success of U.S.-funded prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs in his country.

Click past the jump for a more in-depth look at these stories, and to take action to continue supporting these lifesaving programs.

What We're Reading: The Intersection of Tuberculosis and HIV

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
March 24, 2011

Since today is World Tuberculosis Day, we were reading a number of articles in the media dealing with the deadly twin infections of TB and HIV.

Ambassador Eric Goosby authored a blog outlining the scope of the TB epidemic;
the World Health Organization released a new report addressing the worst and most dangerous cases of the TB epidemic;
PBS NewsHour examined TB in South Africa, a country hard hit by the TB and HIV epidemics;
Anneke Hesseling, a 2007 recipient of the Foundation's International Leadership Award visited the Foundation's D.C. office to speak about the HIV/TB research that resulted from her award;
and finally, IRIN PlusNews quoted Foundation senior technical advisor Dr. Lucy Mathu in an article about the importance of using community health workers to detect signs of children who might have TB.

Foundation Senior Media Affairs Manager Robert Yule took some time to summarize the day's coverage. Click past the jump for recaps and links.

Reflecting This Week on Women, Girls, and HIV/AIDS

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
March 11, 2011

Foundation Ambassadors
Florida (left) and Fortunata.

Tuesday was the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, and Thursday was National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S. – which made this week a good opportunity to reflect on the impact of the AIDS pandemic on all women and girls.

Around the globe, women are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS. There are nearly 16 million women and girls living with the virus worldwide – including nearly 280,000 in the U.S., where women represent a quarter of all new infections.

In honor of all women and girls and the fight against HIV, we decided to showcase the stories of two amazing mothers and daughters who serve as Foundation Ambassadors.

Click past the jump to learn more about these dynamic duos, and about how they’ve dealt with HIV/AIDS in their lives.

What We're Reading: The Foundation's Focus on Research to Eliminate Pediatric AIDS

Posted by Robert Yule
Boston, MA
March 1, 2011

Photo: Olivier Asselin/EGPAF

Over the past few days, the Foundation has led the charge in the call for a continued commitment to pediatric HIV/AIDS research.

Just yesterday, at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), being held in Boston, MA, we announced Dr. Landon Myer of the University of Cape Town in South Africa as the recipient of the 2011 International Leadership Award.

Shortly thereafter, the Winter 2011 issue of Global Health Magazine hit newsstands featuring an article about the need for continued studies into pediatric HIV/AIDS, authored by the Foundation's Vice President of Research Dr. Laura Guay.

And earlier today, the Huffington Post published an op-ed co-authored by Dr. Nicholas Hellmann, the Foundation's Executive Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs, and Dr. Richard Marlink, a senior adviser to the Foundation and a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. The piece called to light the advances in pediatric HIV/AIDS research over the past two decades, and called for a renewed commitment to new studies.

Continue past the jump for more information and links to all of these articles.

What We’re Reading: Proposed U.S. Budget Cuts Could Result in More Infant Infections

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
February 24, 2011

Photo: Benjamin Myers

This week Foundation President and CEO Charles Lyons spoke to Voice of America about Saturday’s budget vote by the U.S. House of Representatives. The budget passed by the House would cut more than $800 million in funding for global HIV/AIDS programs, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund.

Read more about Lyons' interview and the Foundation's response to the budget vote after the jump.

What We’re Watching: CNN’s Inside Africa Features Foundation’s Pony Delivery Program in Lesotho This Weekend

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
February 4, 2011

Potso rides the steep Lesotho terrain
while a CNN camera crew films.
(Photo: EGPAF)

This weekend, CNN International makes the trek to the mountains of Lesotho, following Foundation pony courier Potso Seoete as he delivers critical HIV drugs and test results on horseback to remote health clinics – located more than 10,000 feet above sea level.
The weekly feature program Inside Africa will highlight the Horse-Riding for Health program – developed by the Foundation in Lesotho to address that country’s unique challenges of access to HIV services – this weekend and next week.

Click after the jump to read more.