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[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dan Craig <sak-pase@bimini.ws>


This abstract was submitted for The XV International AIDS Conference,
2004 in Bangkok
Conference Abstract number: MoPeC3465

Haiti’s Response to the AIDS epidemic: a success story

J W Pape, J D Deas Van Onacker, M Cayemittes, M M Deschamps, R I
Verdier, P D Severe, D W Fitzgerald, W D Johnson
Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Centres GHESKIO, New
York and Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Ministry of Health, Port-au-Prince,
Haiti; Institut Haitien de l'Enfance, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; GHESKIO,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New
York, United States


Issues: Since 1985 Haiti has had a generalized HIV epidemic and was
considered the most affected country outside of Africa. HIV rapid spread
was accelerated by high rates of STIs, poverty, and political
instability. Experts predicted a doubling of the prevalence rate. In the
last decade, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and 2 local NGOs, the
Institut Haitien de l'Enfance and GHESKIO, conducted four national HIV
serosurveys among women attending their first antenatal clinic, which
showed a gradual decrease in HIV prevalence from 6.2% in 1993 to 2.9% in
2003.

Description: The epidemic was defined early in its course and a
coordinated public and private response was quickly mounted. The first
national AIDS commission was created in 1984. A commercial blood bank
associated with HIV transmission was closed and the Red Cross became in
charge of all blood banking operations. A network of dedicated NGOs
worked in partnership with the MOH. GHESKIO led the way with research
based interventions for the provision of integrated care for HIV, STI,
TB. National syndromic treatments for STIs were developed and over 7,000
persons were trained nationwide by GHESKIO. A large national education
campaign increased public knowledge of HIV. Condom sales skyrocketed
through social marketing by PSI. Religious leaders conducted AIDS
education through church organizations. The public-private partnership
culminated in the receipt of a Global Fund Against AIDS, TB and Malaria
Award in 2002.

Lessons learned:
1) The role of high-level government officials in the fight against AIDS
.2) The leadership role of NGOs and religious leaders 3) The importance
of public and private partnership 4) The importance of having local
research capacity and local data to inform decision-making. 5) The
importance of training capacity

Recommendation: By decreasing the national HIV prevalence by 50% over a
decade. Haiti is a model for other resource-poor countries.

http://www.ias.se/ejias/show.asp?abstract_id=2172551