PATH receives first contract award under AIDSTAR

September 10, 2008 by PATH

Infectious diseases
Five-year, $10 million project focuses on orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa

Contact:
Gena Morgan, 206.285.3500, media@path.org

Seattle, September 10, 2008—PATH today announced receipt of a new contract focused on orphans and vulnerable children, to help reduce the burden of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The project will support “care for caregivers” and provide training on child protection and abuse identification to organizations that provide services for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.

This is the first such award for PATH since its designation in 2007 as a “prime contractor” for an HIV and AIDS program funded by the US Agency for International Development. PATH leads a consortium of organizations preapproved to compete for certain contracts under the AIDS Support and Technical Resources program, informally known as AIDSTAR. PATH will partner with Health and Development Africa and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance to implement the five-year, $10 million project, which is part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Health and Development Africa, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, will provide technical leadership.

A primary goal of the South Africa project is to create more stable living environments for these vulnerable children. “This is an excellent opportunity for PATH’s AIDSTAR consortium to contribute to PEPFAR’s goal of providing care and support to 10 million people worldwide by strengthening organizations to improve the quality of services provided for orphans and other vulnerable children,” said Dr. Julie Pulerwitz, project director and director of the HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Global Program at PATH.

Dr. Saul Johnson, managing director of Health and Development Africa, said, “With this project, we can not only leverage our existing curriculum and training for caregivers, but also highlight South African leadership and determine how to comprehensively address the needs of children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. We look forward to continuing to have a positive impact on the crisis with orphans and other children affected by HIV and AIDS.”

PATH is an international nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health. PATH currently works in more than 70 countries in the areas of health technologies, maternal and child health, reproductive health, vaccines and immunization, and emerging and epidemic diseases.

PATH’s response to HIV and AIDS has unfolded on multiple levels since the epidemic began. PATH works with individuals and communities to encourage behaviors and social norms that can prevent HIV infection. The organization collaborates with health care providers, governments, and other organizations to strengthen the health systems that bring HIV/AIDS services to families and communities. And PATH joins with public- and private-sector groups to develop and introduce low-cost technologies to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, especially in low-resource settings.

Other members of the PATH AIDSTAR consortium are Chemonics, Dimagi, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the International Rescue Committee, International Relief & Development, International Training & Education Center on HIV, MIDEGO, Westat, and World Relief.