U.S. Ambassador reports on public health in Africa

WHEATON--Since the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was authorized in May 2003, the AIDS crisis on the African continent has been downgraded from a pandemic to an epidemic, according to vocabulary U.S. officials used to assess the effectiveness of a coordinated public health venture.  In a July 26 telephone conference on the current state of HIV/AIDS in Africa, a report was shared by U.S. Ambassador Jimmy Kolker, deputy coordinator and director of multilateral diplomacy, and Dr. Shannon Hader, senior scientific advisor for the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (USGAC), with the International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) community.

As a representative of Franciscan International, a designated NGO, Sister Sheila Kinsey participated in a June 2006 meeting with Kolker. She brought to the forefront her concern about the adverse impact of HIV/AIDS on the very fabric of the African family, including eventual destitution and malnutrition of the infected individual as well as his or her family, especially the children. Her participation cemented a relationship within the NGO community, which resulted in an invitation to become involved with ongoing conversations about the status of overall public health efforts on the continent.         

An analysis of a collaboration of representatives from public health entities around the globe gathered for a summer meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, revealed a consistent, holistic approach to mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on the community.

Speaking from Washington, D.C., Kolker was upbeat in his report about the state of overall public health conditions in Africa. Hader even used the word “epidemic” rather than the more severe and nearly hopeless—pandemic--when discussing the current situation, especially as it concerns AIDS and malaria victims in Africa. At the local level, public health officials have seen varying degrees of progress, the two explained. A combination of outreach strategies have managed to convert the tragedy of a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS from a death sentence and economic collapse to one of hope. Kolker’s comments were particularly candid as they concerned the true measure of success. Relying on a holistic approach, Kolker described the precarious nature of the inroads public health officials have made. Considering the cultural and behavioral implications of the disease, he admitted that in worst case scenarios, a plethora of complications from violence to corruption have slowed progress. He said accomplishments fluctuate from country to country, depending on the political and economic realities within a particular nation’s borders.  

Whether violence perpetuated by the likes of armed militias, such as the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda (LRA) or an unfair burden of taxes placed on imported prescription drugs, Kolker is not dissuaded. He laid out a plan based on his knowledge of the region, its politics and culture. Armed with compassion and a sense of duty, Kolker said he would not allow obstacles to diminish the objective set by PEPFAR. Persistence is a key element in the fight to defuse the deadly impact of HIV/AIDS, agreed Kolker and Hader.  

Despite political actions that have the potential to diminish health standards in volatile countries, Kolker insisted that the U. S. “will not automatically cut off funding for AIDS.” In total, the U.S. has proposed a budget of $30 billion over five years for AIDS relief in Africa.

However, Kolker refused to back away from an opportunity to chide the G-8 nations for their failure to make a concrete commitment to fund systematic changes aimed at supporting the dignity of life for those in Africa suffering from a variety of diseases. “We need a coalition that supports and values the prevention methodology,” he added.   
 
While the fact that millions of people infected with AIDS, HIV, malaria and more demand a response from the United States, Hader credited the G-8 for providing a steady source of funding, enough at least to establish a timeline when conditions on the African continent would dramatically improve as far as overall public health. “The goal is 2015,” she said. Already there is a bounty of evidence to prove that intervention is beginning to slow the spread of infection.

Meanwhile, the USGAC sees an opportunity for the first time to feature HIV/AIDS prevention programs, she said. “Prevention (programs) are absolutely critical” to the total picture. Hader added that “wrap-around” outreach methods that pay heed to a list of health issues related to HIV/AIDS treatment are taking root along the landscape. Specifically, she explained, there are a growing number of accessible programs to assist with nutrition, water quality, consistent health care and secure housing in some cases for victims and their families. The Wheaton Franciscan-supported Upendo Village in Kenya, a community for HIV/AIDS victims and their families, is one example of an effective wrap-around program.   

For information or to take action, visit http://allafrica.com/stories/200708010837.html or http://www.ncan.org/news/00000093.cfm.