U.S RELEASES STRATEGY TO ACCELERATE HIV/AIDS CONTROL BY 2020

WASHINGTON – The United States today released President Donald Trump’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Strategy for Accelerating HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control (2017-2020).

While releasing the plan, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it reaffirms U.S. support for HIV/AIDS efforts in more than 50 countries, ensuring access to services by all populations, including the most vulnerable and at-risk groups.

The Strategy also outlines plans to accelerate implementation in a subset of 13 high-burden countries that have the potential to achieve HIV/AIDS epidemic control by 2020, working in collaboration with host governments; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund); the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; and other partners.

According to him, the latest PEPFAR data show that, largely through the U.S. government’s support, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is coming under control in five of 13 countries: Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
These data, he said also indicate that the previously expanding HIV epidemic in Uganda has now stabilized.

The United States remains the largest bilateral donor to the global HIV/AIDS response, support which is made possible through the goodwill, compassion, and generosity of the American people.

He said today’s announcements demonstrate the remarkable impact of these investments over the past fourteen years.