Foundation Blog
News, commentary, and voices in the efforts to eliminate HIV and AIDS in children worldwide.
Posted by
Jill Peterson
Kigali, Rwanda
April 28, 2011
Ziada and her daugher Shakila
ouside their home in Rwanda.
(Photo: EGPAF)
As the Senior Strategic Information Advisor for the Foundation in Rwanda, most of Jill Peterson's days are spent sitting behind a computer in the Foundation's office in Kigali, looking at data and writing reports. But occasionally, the other part of her job overseeing external communications activities in Rwanda gets her out from behind her desk and into the field, coming face-to-face with the people she helps every day.
Just a few weeks ago, Jill took a short trip with some Foundation staff to the town of Kibungo to meet a woman who had received lifesaving services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV to her daughter. Her name is Ziada, and her healthy, 16-month-old daughter is Shakila.
Click past the jump to read more about Ziada and Shakila's inspiring story.
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Posted by
Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
April 22, 2011
(Photo: EGPAF/Mia Collis)
This week, we were reading several articles about new research showing a troubling increase in drug resistance among children living with HIV and AIDS.
Articles from the British medical journal
The Lancet, MSN HealthDay News, MedPage Today, and
The Guardian all reported that within five years, many children in the study became resistant to AIDS drug regimens.
While drug resistance does occur in some people treated for HIV and AIDS, the study found the rate of resistance in children was more than double the rate of adults.
Click past the jump for a more in-depth analysis of the articles, with links to each.
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Posted by
Caroline Zinyemba
Harare, Zimbabwe
April 21, 2011
Zimbabwe Minister of Health and Child
Welfare, the Honorable Dr. H. Madzorera
has his finger pricked for a CD4 test.
(Photo: EGPAF)
Last week in Harare, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) delivered 200 medical machines critical for HIV treatment to the government of Zimbabwe. They’re called Point of Care CD4 machines, and they measure the strength of a person’s immune system.
Testing a person’s “CD4 count” is crucial for people living with HIV, because it determines when they should begin antiretroviral therapy. This is particularly important for pregnant women, because HIV treatment not only protects their own health, but increases the chances the chances they’ll have an HIV-free baby.
Click past the jump to read more about the handover ceremony, which was attended by the Foundation's country director for Zimbabwe and the country's Minister of Health and Child Welfare.
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Posted by
Sanyu Nkiinzi
Kampala, Uganda
April 19, 2011
Mother-to-child transmission contributes
22% of new HIV infections annually in
Uganda. (Photo: EGPAF)
The Foundation has been working in Uganda alongside the Ministry of Health for more than a decade, providing a broad range of HIV/AIDS services, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
We’ve made progress in leaps and bounds in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS, but we're reminded by a recent Note from the Field that there is still much work to be done. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV contributes to 22% of the 100,000 new HIV infections annually in Uganda. Without treatment, almost half of these HIV-positive children will die before their second birthday.
The personal anecdotes shared by Foundation Communication and Outreach Officer in Uganda Sanyu Nkiinzi shine a light on the hope for an HIV-free generation not just in Uganda, but across the globe.
Click past the jump to read the Note, which was published recently in Uganda's national newspaper, New Vision.
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Posted by
Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
April 15, 2011
This week, we were once again reading about the U.S. federal budget and its effect on global health efforts, particularly the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Click past the jump for a more in-depth look at coverage of the new federal budget.
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Posted by
Evan Von Leer
Washington, D.C.
April 15, 2011
We've got some exciting news to announce: Out of thousands of entries, the Foundation has been selected as one of five finalists in the Public Service and Activism Video category in the 15th Annual Webby Awards!
The Webby Awards are like the Academy Awards of Internet video, advertising, and interactive content, and the list of nominees for this year's awards is star-studded, to say the least.
But the process doesn't stop with our nomination. Now, we need your help. We need you to visit the Webby Awards website and vote for our video, The Time to Eliminate Pediatric AIDS is Now, to win. Our category is filled with some serious competition and we don't stand a chance without your vote.
Click past the jump to read a little more about the Webby Awards, but more importantly, to learn how to vote.
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