Major interest in SA from HIV/AIDS funders in US and Europe

Dr Anna Mokgokong

Dr Anna Mokgokong has arrived back from the United States having met with past US President Bill Clinton after representing South Africa at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) summit held in New York.

“I was very encouraged by the strong interest shown by international investors in the South African healthcare scenario, particularly with regard to matters concerning HIV/Aids and TB. Observers in the US as well as major donor funders acknowledge the significant strides made by the South African government in dealing effectively with these diseases and are keen to provide further support to these initiatives,” she says.

During her visit to the US, Dr Mokgokong also held discussions with The Global Fund, The Global Health Council, The Clinton Foundation as well as the United Nations Foundation. Interest was also shown by major US organisations including Chevron and Google.

Dr Mokgokong has committed her organisation, Community Investment Holdings via its subsidiary, Aid for AIDS to the task of providing accelerated access to care and treatment for HIV and Aids sufferers in Africa and specifically in South Africa.

Aid for AIDS’ Managing Director, Rodney Cowlin, who accompanied Dr Mokgokongto the meeting in New York, says that many major institutions and governmental agencies in the US have expressed their support for the South African initiatives and the commitment made by Aid for AIDS. “However the majority of funders wish to see sustainable programmes involving collaborative partnerships between the private and public sectors as well as government. This approach will harness the expertise and resources of the private healthcare as well as the skills inherent in the public sector to create wide-ranging access to care.”

Cowlin also pointed out that in a speech delivered during the summit, Ambassador Eric Goosbym, the US Global Aids Coordinator, advised that the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) has the necessary funding available to support sustainable programmes that provide ongoing treatment to those living with HIV/Aids. However Goosbym stressed that he wished to see partnerships established in such a manner that PEPFAR funds could be utilised as emergency start up capital to finance treatment and that Public, Private sector Partnerships (PPP’s) could maintain these programmes thereafter.

Aid for AIDS has already enrolled 100,000 patients on its disease management programmes and Cowlin says that the organisation is very keen to work closely with the Department of Health to share the expertise and the lessons learned during the development of these extensive programmes.

“It is essential to combine our resources and work together to make a meaningful impact on the epidemic. We have the expertise in South Africa and, supported by funding available from both local and international sources, we will be able to provide access to care and treatment to the millions of South Africans living with the HIV virus and empower them to live productive and fulfilling lives,” he says.