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Media Contacts: Johanna Harvey: jharvey@pedaids.org or +1 (202) 280-1657
Racine Tucker-Hamilton: rtuckerhamilton@pedaids.org or +1 (202) 448-8456

May 21, 2014—Washington, D.C.—Today, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) marked the three-year anniversary of its partnerships with affiliated national HIV organizations in Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, and Tanzania. With funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), EGPAF launched its affiliate model in 2011 to respond to the growing need for a national, multi-stakeholder approach to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Strengthening national organizations through affiliation is one component of EGPAF’s commitment to advancing country ownership in order to end AIDS in children.

Today, the Ariel Glaser Pediatric AIDS Healthcare Initiative (AGPAHI) in Tanzania, Fundação Ariel Contra o SIDA Pediátrico (Fundação Ariel) in Mozambique, and Fondation Ariel Glaser Pour la Lutte contre le SIDA Pédiatrique (Fondation Ariel) in Côte d’Ivoire each operate as independent, locally owned organizations. Collectively they support more than 650 public and private health facilities, have tested more than 895,000 pregnant women for HIV, and have started more than 180,000 clients on HIV treatment.

“Country ownership is essential to ending the AIDS epidemic,” said Charles Lyons, EGPAF president and CEO. “EGPAF is proud to support these partners to bolster the national HIV response and create programs that can produce successful results to help lead us to an AIDS-free generation.”

Through this model, EGPAF provides its affiliates with comprehensive capacity building that is crucial for well-rounded and sustainable organizations. Affiliates receive technical and systems support in governance, programmatic, operational, and communications areas, and are evaluated annually through an accreditation process. Affiliates are governed by independent, highly qualified national boards, supported by national leadership and staff. Through this model, EGPAF and its affiliates assure a commitment to high-quality HIV services and are building national capacity to scale-up and sustain the end of AIDS in children.  

“We have a unique understanding of the reality of HIV/AIDS in our countries,” said Paula Vaz, M.D., Ph.D., executive director of Fundação Ariel in Mozambique. “By tackling the AIDS epidemic locally, we can lead the way to global change.”

Every day, nearly 700 babies become newly infected with HIV, almost all of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. EGPAF and its affiliates are global leaders in the effort to end AIDS in children by providing women and their families with services to prevent transmission of HIV.

On Friday, May 23, 2014 at 10 a.m. EDT, experts from EGPAF will join the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. for a panel discussion titled, “Transition to National Delivery of HIV and AIDS Services:  Challenges and Opportunities.” The discussion will focus on the progress made in building national capacity to deliver HIV and AIDS services. For more information or to rsvp, visit smartglobalhealth.org.

About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF):

EGPAF is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS, and has reached more than 20 million women with services to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. It currently supports more than 7,000 health facilities and works in 15 countries to implement prevention, care, and treatment services; to further advance innovative research; and to execute global advocacy activities that bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pedaids.org.