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U.S. Global AIDS Co-ordinator concludes Zim tour
United States Embassy
September 02, 2009

The United States Government is optimistic about the rejuvenation of Zimbabwe's health sector and has goals of supporting efforts to increase service delivery capacity and create sustainable health care systems.

Ambassador Eric Goosby, the Global AIDS Coordinator for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) said on Wednesday, "I'm optimistic that we will be able to use the talent and experience of our in-country PEPFAR team and their knowledge of the situation on the ground to develop a response that fits the existing health infrastructure, supports it, and reinforces it in a way that creates a durable and lasting response."

"I have seen fatigue in health care delivery in the country. A fatigue that that has come out of sustaining the response (to HIV and AIDS) with diminishing resources, but at the same time a feeling of hope and anticipation that they have hit bottom and are now on the return," said Ambassador Eric Goosby.

Goosby oversees the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the U.S. Government's engagement with the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He, together with top U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)- Robert Clay- and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)- R.J. Simonds- officials, has been in Zimbabwe since Monday.

"We are happy to have an open dialogue with government and civil society that allows us to strengthen and refocus our efforts to identify and retain patients in care . . . and decrease high risk behavior that has burdened this country for the past 25 years," said Ambassador Goosby.

Goosby also toured several PEPFAR-supported initiatives. These include the Opportunistic Infections Clinic at Parirenyatwa Hospital, which initiates treatment and follow up on HIV positive clients on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) program. PEPFAR supports antiretroviral drugs for 40,000 out of 155,000 of these patients nationally, and supports the delivery system that supplies 100% of those on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART).

Goosby also visited the male circumcision site at the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council offices at Harare Hospital which also receives funding from PEPFAR and technical support from USAID partner Population Services International (PSI).

Commending the commitment of the health workers and care-givers, Goosby said he saw in everyone "a willingness to maintain their engagement and to increase their focus and work on trying to alleviate the suffering and to respond to the needs that are in front of them."

Since assuming his role as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator in June this year, Ambassador Goosby visited Angola and South Africa. Goosby says that the fight against global AIDS remains a central theme in President Obama's foreign policy and global health agenda.

He said Zimbabwe was in a better position to rejuvenate its health delivery systems because it is coming "out of a legacy of an extraordinary, proud and effective, world class medical delivery system and are ahead of many other countries in Africa."

"The memory is fresh, the individuals that were part of that excellent system of care are still here and I think that is a big advantage in rejuvenating a medical delivery system that right now is a shadow of what it was. You also have the skilled human resources," said Goosby. He noted that this required those that had left the country to come back and play a positive role.

Through PEPFAR, the United States Government is the leading provider of bilateral HIV and AIDS assistance to Zimbabwe. Between 2004 and 2008, the U.S. Government provided nearly $109 million to Zimbabwe to support comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care programs.

About PEPFAR

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was launched in 2003 to combat global HIV/AIDS, and is the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history. Working in partnership with host nations, over ten years PEPFAR plans to support treatment for at least 3 million people, prevention of 12 million new infections, and care for 12 million people, including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children. For more information, please visit www.PEPFAR.gov.

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