A Week to Remember in the Effort to End AIDS Worldwide

Last week, (June 23-27), was an exciting time for the global health community. From an event to call attention to the United States’ 25 years of commitment to improving maternal and child health worldwide to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)’s celebration of 25 years of working to end AIDS in children, the week was filled with policy discussions, events, and a host of media coverage that brought much-needed exposure to these critical issues. Below, we take a look back at a few of the highlights:

A Town Hall Forum with Ambassador Deborah L. Birx – U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Amb. Deborah Birx, M.D., kicked off the week on Monday, June 23 by participating in a town hall forum hosted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. During the forum, Amb. Birx laid out her vision for the next phase of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and called for increased attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

EGPAF Ambassador Martha Cameron on NewsChannel 8’s Let’s Talk Live – EGPAF Ambassador Martha Cameron joined WJLA’s morning show, “Let’s Talk Live” on Monday, June 23. Martha shared her own story as a mother living with HIV and discussed her current work with the Women’s Collective and EGPAF.

EGPAF Hosts Policy roundtable on the Future of Pediatric AIDS Prevention and Treatment Worldwide – On Tuesday, June 24, EGPAF hosted a high-level policy roundtable event at the Pew Charitable Trusts to discuss current advancements, investment opportunities, and future innovations in pediatric AIDS treatment. Special guests included Ambassador Deborah Birx, M.D., U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator; Rajiv Shah, M.D., Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); and Deborah Persaud, M.D. of the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.  The discussion was covered in an article in Devex published on June 25.

EGPAF’s 25th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, June 24 EGPAF honored Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi with its Congressional Global Campion Award during its 25th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C. Leader Pelosi has been a longtime advocate for people living with HIV. The award and her advocacy work were featured in an article in Bloomberg.

Twenty-Five Years of Lifesaving Partnerships – EGPAF President and CEO Charles Lyons shared his insights on EGPAF’s quarter-century of progress to end AIDS in children and his vision for a future free of HIV.

HIV Did Not Stop Me From Having a Biological Child – EGPAF Ambassador Ben Banks shares his story of growing up HIV positive, and the recent birth of his HIV-free daughter.

USAID and Partners Convene to Unveil New Efforts to Save Millions of Women and Children from Preventable Deaths – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other partners, held a high-level forum titled Acting on the Call: Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths on Wednesday, June 25. USAID also released an action plan at the forum to prioritize at-risk families in the most vulnerable countries.

5th Birthday and Beyond: Celebrating Global Leadership for Healthy Children – Celebrating 25 years of America’s global leadership for healthy children, EGPAF was proud to join more than 150 allies to raise awareness around the progress that has been made in reducing child deaths worldwide, and highlight the work that still needs to be done. You can read more in The Washington Post, Think Progress, The Hill, Buzzfeed, and others.