Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
USIS Washington File - May 25, 2006
Jim Fisher-Thompson, Washington File Staff Writer
The United Nations reported in December 2005 that sub-Saharan, with 10 percent of the world's population, was home to 60 percent of all people living with HIV. (see related article.)
Although devastated by war and genocide, Rwanda has managed to cope with the disease and has an AIDS prevalence rate of under 4 percent, one of the lowest in Africa.
As a result of growing rates in other developing nations, President Bush announced an ambitious $15 billion program in 2003, saying America never could have real security if the developing world was left to cope with the disease alone. More than a dozen countries have been targeted for PEPFAR support, including a number of African nations.
Before he left for the June 2005 Group of Eight Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, Bush told an audience in Washington, "We're making life-giving treatment possible for more than 230,000 adults and children in Africa. We're determined to reach our five-year goal of treating two million." (see related article)
The president cited the importance of partnership, adding, "This effort [PEPFAR] is succeeding because America is providing resources and Africans are providing leadership."
Lieutenant Colonel John Ruffing, the U.S. Embassy defense attach who oversees the PEPFAR program with the Rwandan military for the U.S. Department of Defense, also made that point.
"PEPFAR is a good program because it has allowed Rwandans to take a leadership role. Recently, they showed their program to members of the Burundian medical corps," he told the Washington File May 25.
Ruffing explained that PEPFAR is implemented by three main U.S. agencies, the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Defense Department. The latest PEPFAR effort with the Rwandan military involves a $1.6 million grant.
The new effort has two components, he said. Prevention efforts are administered by Population Services International (PSI), a large health care nongovernmental organization based in Washington. Drew University in New Jersey runs the treatment programs.
On a visit to Kanombe Military Hospital in Kigali, Dr. Charles Murego, a civilian physician who works for the Rwandan military's Directorate of Medical Services, told the Washington File he was pleased with the partnership between Rwanda and the United States in the fight against AIDS.
The prevention phase of the new program, begun by PSI in fall 2005, has been "especially effective in changing behavior" and "risky habits," such as mixing alcohol with sex, frequenting sex workers and not using condoms.
"Most soldiers are young men and for them alcohol is a danger," he explained, because it lowers their inhibitions and makes them forget sex safety precautions.
As part of its PEPFAR funding, PSI is raising AIDS awareness and prevention among Rwanda's troops through novel devices like establishing anti-AIDS clubs in each brigade to bring peer support and peer pressure to bear.
PSI also plans to organize regular sports, theater and music competitions on AIDS-prevention subjects for members of the clubs to reinforce their adherence to the "ABCs" of AIDS prevention: Abstinence, Be faithful and appropriate use of Condoms.
Murego said he was excited about the Drew University effort, which started recently but has the potential for improving care for his military patients, families and civilians who come down with the disease.
"I would especially like to get more up-to-date testing and laboratory facilities," Murego said. As it stands now, he said testing is a lengthy process and more modern lab equipment would make it easier for him to adjust the combination of treatment drugs to fit individuals' needs and tolerances.
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