U.S. Government helps improve HIV services for children in Cabo Delgado

The Director of the Provincial Hospital of Pemba, Joana Maria Augusto, delivering to the Deputy Chief of Mission a letter of thanks written by the beneficiary children of the Pediatric Center of Excellence.

U.S. Embassy

Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193

Caixa Postal, 783

Maputo

MOZAMBIQUE

PRESS RELEASE

U.S. Government helps improve HIV services for children in Cabo Delgado

October 18, 2017 – PEMBA.  The Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Mozambique, Bryan Hunt, participated in a ceremony on Tuesday to officially deliver to the Pemba Provincial Hospital a Pediatric Center of Excellence.  The Center will significantly increase the quality of the HIV/AIDS services to Mozambican children throughout Cabo Delgado.

Upon its installation at the Pemba Provincial Hospital earlier this year, the Pediatric Center of Excellence (PCE) has provided clinical services to children living with HIV, managing complex cases of pediatric AIDS related diseases. In the future, it will also serve as a training center for health professionals who work with children living with HIV in the province.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Mr. Hunt said “This infrastructure represents our commitment to support the Government of Mozambique to provide clinical and social services to all children living and affected by HIV, so they can thrive and become healthy, productive adults.”

Representing an investment of $165,000 from the U.S. President´s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the PCE is part of a comprehensive assistance to the National HIV Response Program.  In Cabo Delgado, this support is coordinated through a partnership between the local Provincial Directorate for Health (DPS) and the Ariel Glaser Foundation, with technical assistance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Identifying children living with HIV, and ensuring those diagnosed receive needed care and treatment services are top priorities for the program, which currently provides antirretroviral services to more than 3,400 children under 15 years-old in Cabo Delgado.

PEPFAR in Mozambique is implemented by the U.S. Embassy, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Peace Corps.

For more information about this press release, please contact the U.S. Embassy Maputo Press Office at MaputoPress@state.gov.

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