US Doctors For Africa, in conjunction with the William J. Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative, has launched a pilot program to support the implementation of Tanzania's National Care and Treatment Plan 2003-2008. The plan aims to provide care for 1.2 million patients over five years, of whom some 400,000 people are expected to receive antiretroviral medication (ARVs).<1> In addition, HIV-positive persons not clinically eligible for highly active antiretroviral treatment will also be treated and monitored to track the disease's progression.

Tanzania's population of approximately 37 million is expected to grow by over 1.8 percent annually through 2015. Poverty is a major challenge: more than 59 percent of the population earns less than $2 a day and nearly 20 percent lives on less than $1 a day<2>. With an adult HIV prevalence rate of 8.8 percent, an estimated 1.6 million people in Tanzania are HIV-positive.<3> Health services are currently unavailable to the majority of those in need. With only four physicians per 100,000 people, most of whom are concentrated in urban areas, a lack of medical professionals is a major obstacle to meeting the health care needs of the population.

The goals of the pilot program are: <4>

• To provide quality, continuing care and treatment to as many HIV-positive residents of Tanzania as possible, building on the work done by the Ministry of Health and the Tanzanian Commission for AIDS.

• To strengthen the country's healthcare infrastructure by enlarging the number of medical personnel, expanding health facilities, purchasing additional equipment and providing comprehensive training to the local medical community in the care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

• To foster information, education and communication efforts designed to increase public understanding and awareness of care and treatment alternatives for HIV/AIDS, reduce the stigma associated with the disease and support ongoing prevention efforts.

• To strengthen social support for care and treatment of PLWHA in Tanzania, whether in a home setting or at a community-based care and treatment facility.

The Tanzanian Government is implementing the plan with assistance from the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative, US Doctors For Africa and other partners. US Doctors For Africa volunteer medical professionals provide patient care and education, hire, train and manage staff, develop sustainable, site-sensitive practices, assess needs and survey patients' use of facilities and services. The first US Doctors For Africa / Clinton Foundation mission to Tanzania was sent in early March 2005. "I am pleased with the strategic partnership we've made with the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation," said Ted Alemayhu, Founder and CEO of US Doctors For Africa. "Both organizations work toward one common goal " to meet the overwhelming need for medical manpower, resources and expertise necessary to mitigate the current health crisis caused by the AIDS epidemic."

<1> Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative
<2> United Nations Development Program Human Development Report 2003
<3> UNAIDS
<4> United Republic of Tanzania HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Plan 2003-2008