|
HIGHLIGHTS
|
|
USAID’s 50th Anniversary Observed
Fifty years ago, USAID was born out of a spirit of progress and innovation that reflects the values and character of Americans and a fundamental belief in doing the right thing. For half a century, the Agency has been a quiet force for progress, fostering a more peaceful and secure world. In observance of its long record of achievements and continuing advances in international development, the Agency launched USAID 50
Anniversary, documenting its history of positive impact on families, communities, and nations around the world and its future directions.
USAID Global Health Intensifies Social Media Efforts
The number of people who get their news through social media networks continues to grow. As this trend continues, USAID’s Bureau for Global Health has been steadily strengthening its presence on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, where it is making a greater contribution to the sharing of health-related videos, photos, narratives, and announcements that inform and enable people to exchange and discuss crucial information about U.S. Government efforts to address HIV/AIDS and other health challenges.
OHA invites all of you to follow and engage with us on Facebook and Twitter.
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
APHA to Open Annual Meeting and Exposition at End of October
This year, the American Public Health Association will hold its 139th annual meeting and exposition from Saturday, October 29 to Wednesday, November 2 in Washington, DC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
WELCOME AND FAREWELL
The Office of HIV/AIDS would like to recognize the arrival of one staff member and the departure of two.
We are delighted to welcome Roxana Rogers, who began her tenure as the Director of OHA on September 19. Roxana is returning to Washington, DC after 4 years of work in South Africa as the Health and U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Office Chief. Prior to this work in the field, Roxana served for seven years as OHA’s Deputy Director. Her USAID service also includes work in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso. Roxana is a former Peace Corps volunteer and certified secondary school teacher, who holds an MBA from Columbia University and an MA in African Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University.
With excitement and a touch of sadness, we wish Jason Wright and Jessica DiRocco the very best of luck as they each take on new challenges. Jason, who served as Multilateral Team Leader, will be leaving OHA on October 14 to become U.S. Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, based in Washington, DC. Lisa Luchsinger will become Acting Multilateral Team Leader and can be reached at (202) 712-5086 and lluchsinger@usaid.gov.
Jessica will be joining Global Health Strategies in New York City as a Senior Associate. Jessica has infused OHA communications with her enthusiasm and talents since 2008, and she will be missed. Her last day at the Agency is October 19.
UPDATES
Research and Development: Recent Highlights
FACTS 001 to Investigate Tenofovir Gel
Follow-on Africa Consortium for Tenofovir Studies (FACTS) is a South African-led consortium that was established to develop and conduct follow-on research to the USAID-supported CAPRISA 004 (Center for AIDS Programme Research in South Africa 004) trial. This trial provided for the first time ever proof of concept that a 1 percent tenofovir gel could reduce women’s risk of HIV infection from vaginal sex.
While the CAPRISA 004 trial findings were historic, the trial itself was not large enough to support registration of the gel. FACTS 001, therefore, will be a larger trial (3,150 women) that investigates the safety and effectiveness of tenofovir gel and its acceptability and use among trial participants. Findings from the CAPRISA trial further demonstrated that the gel reduced the risk of herpes simplex 2; accordingly, FACTS 001 also will investigate the gel’s effectiveness against this infection.
Enrollment in FACTS 001 began in mid-2011, and the trial’s results are expected to be released in 2013. Read a full description [PDF, 208KB] of the trial’s objectives.
HPTN 052 Links ARVs to Reductions in Transmission Risk
HPTN 052 was a multinational, randomized trial by the HIV Prevention Trials Network to determine the effectiveness of two treatment strategies – delayed versus immediate use of antiretroviral treatment (ART) – on the prevention of HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples.
Released in May 2011, the results of this trial demonstrate that early initiation of ART by HIV-infected individuals reduces the risk of transmission of the virus to partners by 96 percent. This level of protection was significantly higher than the level of protection afforded in delayed use of ART. The trial also showed that early initiation of ART promotes better health for HIV-infected people.
New Initiative to Fund Research on Combination Prevention Approaches
PEPFAR recently announced three awards in a new four-year, $45 million initiative, which will fund evaluation studies that examine the effectiveness of combination approaches to HIV prevention. These evaluations will be the largest and most robust to date on this topic, and findings will help partner countries of the U.S. Government strengthen their efforts to prevent new infections.
Set to begin in 2011 and 2012, the studies will quickly establish an evidence-based approach to combination prevention. The PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board will coordinate and be linked to implementation and evaluation so that crucial research questions can be addressed in a timely way.
Read more information from the U.S. State Department about this initiative and the studies it will fund.
AmfAR Holds Conference on Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
The American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmfAR) held a conference on Capitol Hill this past July. Titled “Making AIDS History: Ending the Epidemic,” it brought together leaders in HIV research, policy, and advocacy for half a day to discuss ways to put an end to the epidemic. Among these leaders was USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, who announced a new initiative in which the Agency’s Development Credit Authority and the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator could be used to leverage private-sector financing. This financing would then be directed to health facilities in Ethiopia that focus on delivering quality services to people living with HIV/AIDS.
"This agreement is a historic initiative and an outstanding example of U.S. Government cooperation that could produce meaningful results in the fight against HIV/AIDS," Administrator Shah said of the initiative.
View Administrator Shah delivering his remarks.
Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon to Combat Cervical and Breast Cancers
More than 85 percent of cervical cancer cases occur in the developing world, and HIV-infected women are four to five times more likely to have it than other women. Moreover, cervical cancer is often a neglected disease in developing countries, where it can be associated with stigma that discourages women from accessing lifesaving services. The same is true for breast cancer, another leading killer of women throughout the world.
On September 13, 2011, the U.S. Department of State announced a new public-private partnership that will combat cervical and breast cancers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon will expand the availability of cervical cancer screening and treatment for women, particularly women infected with HIV. It will also promote breast cancer education. Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon will achieve its goals by leveraging public and private investments and the platform and resources of PEPFAR.
Led by the George W. Bush Institute, PEPFAR, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the initiative also includes the following private companies among its founding members: Merck, Becton Dickinson, QIAGEN, Caris Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, and IBM.
The launch of this public-private partnership drew significant media attention. The following major media outlets reported on the announcement:
ABC News: "Laura Bush Discusses Women’s Health Initiative"
PBS News Hour: "Bush, PEPFAR Reunite to Cut Cancer Deaths"
Wall Street Journal: "Bush Effort Targets Cervical Cancer in Developing World"
More information is available in a U.S. Department of State fact sheet.
OHA Convenes Third Annual Partners’ Meeting
Nearly 150 participants from USAID and its HIV/AIDS partner organizations gathered in Washington, DC, on September 22 for the meeting entitled, “Capacity Building towards Country Ownership and Sustainability: Truth and Consequences.” The meeting offered a full day of individual and panel presentations, with follow-up question-and-answer sessions and some small group discussions. The presenters included, among others, Dr. Ariel Pablos Mendes, Assistant Administrator, Global Health Bureau; Robert Clay, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Global Health Bureau; and Roxana Rogers, Director, Office of HIV/AIDS.
View the presentations from the day.
NOTABLE RESOURCES
Shared Vision and Strategic Plan for Microbicide Introduction
In November 2010, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah held a high-level meeting with microbicide stakeholders to define major steps needed in 2011 and 2012 to expedite licensure and introduction of 1 percent tenofovir gel after its regulatory approval. He also made the development of a paper, "USAID Proposal for a Shared Vision and Strategic Plan for Microbicide Introduction," a top priority. A discussion draft of this proposal is now available [PDF, 176KB].
With a confirmatory trial now under way, USAID intends to lay substantial groundwork for introduction of the gel prior to the product’s confirmation, which is expected in early 2013.
PEPFAR Releases New Guidance to Assist COP Development
In August 2011, PEPFAR released the document "Guidance for the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted HIV Infections."
The aim of this guidance is to assist PEPFAR country teams as they develop country operational plans that do the following: align activities for the prevention of sexual transmission with country-specific epidemiology and country-owned responses; and support the continuum of response at the country level. More specifically, the guidance seeks to help country teams identify and implement the best combination of prevention activities as part of the continuum of a country-level response. To this end, the guidance reflects several key principles: 1) identifying and addressing gaps in scope and reach of prevention activities among priority populations; 2) ensuring interventions address populations and communities in such a way that the level of investment matches the level of risk; 3) using resources so they have maximum impact on HIV incidence; 4) prioritizing the most effective biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions in the country context; and 5) enhancing coordination across prevention, care, and treatment activities.
The guidance is available on the PEPFAR website [PDF, 764KB].
Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in the Spotlight
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is a proven prevention intervention that reduces men’s risk of HIV infection by 60 percent or more. It is also cost-effective: Studies show that if 80 percent of men in sub-Saharan Africa were circumcised, $16.5 billion in treatment costs would be saved. For these reasons, USAID and PEPFAR have made scale-up and promotion of VMMC a priority.
USAID-supported AIDSTAR-One recently produced a 15-minute video entitled “In It to Save Lives: Scaling Up Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention for Maximum Public Health Impact,” which documents the use of VMMC to reduce the risk of heterosexually transmitted HIV infection in men. The video shows how governments in Kenya and Swaziland have embraced VMMC to counter the HIV epidemic in their respective countries. Featuring interviews with HIV/AIDS experts, policy makers, and implementers, the video also shows that VMMC programs can be replicated and expanded to reach the critical mass needed for maximum public health impact.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Lisa Russell, the video can be viewed on the AIDSTAR-One website. Also available on this site are presentations from the video’s launch event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Despite male circumcision’s protective benefits, scale-up challenges continue. A recent article in the New York Times identified them as a dearth of political or logistical support from governments and traditional leaders; cultural misconceptions; and, in some places, requirements that doctors, not nurses or physician assistants, perform circumcisions. The article includes commentary from Dr. Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, a Senior Biomedical Prevention Advisorat USAID, and describes scale-up successes and recent innovations in male circumcision devices.
Photo Essay Celebrates Women’s Participation in HIV Preventions Trials
The Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) has produced “A Day in the Life,” a photo essay that profiles the lives of women who participate in HIV prevention trials. This GCM photo essay was launched at the South African National AIDS Conference in June 2011 by Advisor to Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on HIV/AIDS. More recently, it was displayed in Washington, DC as part of an event called “Collaborations that Change Lives,” which demonstrated the successful collaborations donors, governments, advocates have with the courageous women who volunteer for research.
GCM is committed to the development and delivery of HIV prevention tools for women, particularly vaginal microbicides for women living in Southern and Eastern Africa, who remain at greatest risk of HIV infection.
|
|
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
ART has been a lifeline for many people living with HIV/AIDS, helping them stall AIDS progression and avert transmitting HIV to others. But for every person who begins ART, two others are newly infected with HIV. Sharply reducing new infections certainly will require improved and expanded HIV prevention activities. However, another important part of a comprehensive prevention strategy is to ensure the development of preventive HIV vaccines that are safe, effective, and accessible for use throughout the world – and this has been the mission of the USAID-supported International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
USAID has partnered with IAVI, a nonprofit organization, since 2001. As a thought leader and voice of support for the discovery of effective HIV vaccines, the Agency recognizes the valuable contribution this partnership makes to science, technology, and innovation – a contribution that potentially could add critical instruments to the HIV prevention toolbox.
USAID-supported IAVI studies have led to the discovery of powerful, broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of blocking HIV. Also, IAVI has developed novel vectors that show great promise in preclinical stages, and it has built the capacity of country programs, such as the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Capable of rigorously and ethically evaluating vaccine candidates, this initiative has become a model for developing country research institutions. IAVI is now expanding its partnerships with other U.S. Government agencies. For example, it is working with the National Institutes of Health on the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.
In a recent posting on USAID’s IMPACTblog, David Stanton, Chief of OHA’s Technical and Leadership Division, expressed delight in the Agency’s continued partnership with IAVI. He wrote, “New technologies can dramatically improve health and development outcomes, resulting in pivotal progress toward preventing new infections in the developing world, where the burden of HIV is most painfully felt. New biomedical prevention tools are of critical importance in this battle – particularly that of a safe and effective HIV vaccine.”
|
|
