CGD and John Snow, Inc. (JSI) convened the conference HIV/AIDS in Africa: What Works to highlight successful strategies in response to the growing HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. The conference provided evidence of successful programs currently being implemented and countered the perception that nothing can be done in the face of daunting circumstances. It identified key factors common to most success stories, which could help expand these successes into national and regional responses to the epidemic. We are delighted to see that the success factors identified in the conference are integral components of President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief that was signed into law in May.
For a full agenda of the conference, please click here (PDF).
For the conference summary report, please click here (PDF).
Opening Remarks
Lessons from the Past, Challenges for the Future: An Overview of HIV/AIDS in Africa
Geeta Rao Gupta
President, International Center for Research on Women
Panel Discussion: Evidence of Successful Programs
Evidence from Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and South Africa suggests that risk behaviors and HIV prevalence are decreasing in certain populations. This session examined the factors contributing to this change by discussing successful interventions, challenges to service delivery, the impact of HIV/AIDS programs and implications for replication.
Prevention, Care and Treatment Work: Making Good on Lessons Learned
Eugene McCray, MD
Director, Global AIDS Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
HIV/AIDS in Africa: What Works
Sophia Mukasa Monico
Senior AIDS Program Officer, Global Health Council
Former Director, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), Uganda
AIDS and the Art of War
Richard Marlink
Executive Director, Harvard AIDS Institute
Panel Discussion: Foundation for an Expanded Response
This session discussed the importance of human capital, infrastructure, management systems, and monitoring and evaluation in developing and implementing effective national responses. It will also highlighted the role of strong local, national and international leadership in building on HIV/AIDS programs that work.
Foundations for Effective Service Delivery: Importance of Strong Human and Physical Infrastructure
Lisa Hirschhorn, MD MPH
Senior Clinical Advisor, JSI
Assistant Professor of clinical medicine, Harvard Medical School
Senegal Experience on HIV/AIDS control
Ibrahim Ndoye, MD
Executive Secretary, National Council against HIV/AIDS, Senegal
Monitoring and evaluation and research on HIV/AIDS in Africa: What do they tell us and what more is needed?
Kevin R O'Reilly
Associate Director for Surveillance, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Department of HIV/AIDS, World Health Organization
Presentation
Remarks by Congressman Jim McDermott
Representative, Seventh District, Washington State
Co-Chair, Congressional Taskforce on International HIV/AIDS
Roundtable Discussion: Building on Success: Moving Towards a Comprehensive Response
The conference culminated in a roundtable discussion that highlighted key lessons learned from the day's discussion and invited a select group of senior policymakers and HIV/AIDS experts to discuss how successful HIV/AIDS programs and the elements that support them can be developed into comprehensive strategies for combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Concluding Remarks
Nancy Birdsall, President, Center for Global Development
Nancy Birdsall offered concluding remarks about the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the lessons of the conference from the perspective of a development economist.
