AIDS
RESPONSIBILITY
PROJECT
AFRICA
In 2003 ARP hosted a Congressional Staff Delegation (CODEL) to South
Africa, Botswana, and Uganda.
The purpose of ARP’s Africa trip was to provide key congressional and
administration staffers with an opportunity to visit successful treatment
programs in three of the countries included in the President’s $15 billion 5
– year Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
ARP targeted staffers to appropriations committee members because it is
the responsibility of the appropriators to lead the effort to fund this new
initiative, and for that reason, it is essential that these key staffers be
persuasive, confident advocates for funding. Providing them with a first
hand view of successful treatment programs will help to ensure that they
have the information they need to be effective advocates.
We had the opportunity to review various types of AIDS programs
including prevention, anti-stigma, education, orphan care, and treatment
programs. One common theme we observed was that HIV/AIDS service
providers in these African nations were ready to "scale up" their programs.
They had already acquired the knowledge and experience to provide
quality service, and were in a position to take advantage of increased
funding.
We were also impressed by several programs already being funded by
the U.S. One program in rural Uganda was particularly innovative. In a town
about 2 hours drive west of the the capital city of Kampala in a town called
Tororo, with help from USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has
expanded a successful clean water program for people living out in the
bush in mud and thatch huts to include HIV/AIDS anti retro-viral therapy. In
this program, health workers are trained to deliver the life-saving drugs to
patients on motorcycles, as that is the only mode of motorized
transportation capable of reaching those in need.
Africa, Botswana, and Uganda.
The purpose of ARP’s Africa trip was to provide key congressional and
administration staffers with an opportunity to visit successful treatment
programs in three of the countries included in the President’s $15 billion 5
– year Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
ARP targeted staffers to appropriations committee members because it is
the responsibility of the appropriators to lead the effort to fund this new
initiative, and for that reason, it is essential that these key staffers be
persuasive, confident advocates for funding. Providing them with a first
hand view of successful treatment programs will help to ensure that they
have the information they need to be effective advocates.
We had the opportunity to review various types of AIDS programs
including prevention, anti-stigma, education, orphan care, and treatment
programs. One common theme we observed was that HIV/AIDS service
providers in these African nations were ready to "scale up" their programs.
They had already acquired the knowledge and experience to provide
quality service, and were in a position to take advantage of increased
funding.
We were also impressed by several programs already being funded by
the U.S. One program in rural Uganda was particularly innovative. In a town
about 2 hours drive west of the the capital city of Kampala in a town called
Tororo, with help from USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has
expanded a successful clean water program for people living out in the
bush in mud and thatch huts to include HIV/AIDS anti retro-viral therapy. In
this program, health workers are trained to deliver the life-saving drugs to
patients on motorcycles, as that is the only mode of motorized
transportation capable of reaching those in need.
ARP in AFRICA
| ARP in Africa US Ambassador to Uganda Jimmy Kolker and ARP Executive Director Abner Mason in Uganda with the staff of the Tororo Hospital and health-care workers who deliver AIDS drugs by motocycle. |
