6/16/2008

Contact: Beatrice Karanja (Nairobi)
bkaranja@pedaids.org

Contact: Robert Yule (Washington, D.C.)
202-448-8456
ryule@pedaids.org

AIDS Walk Africa Will Highlight Need for Increased HIV Testing, Treatment

Washington D.C.—Beginning June 30, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, a world leader in pediatric AIDS prevention, will kick off its fifth AIDS Walk Africa. This five-day fundraising and awareness-building walk draws participants from around the world to an African nation — this year, Swaziland — for a 35-mile trek to witness first-hand the Foundation’s lifesaving work in clinics, orphanages, and hospitals. The walkers will follow expert guides through the communities in Swaziland most affected by HIV/AIDS.

An estimated 26 percent of the adult population in Swaziland was living with the virus in 2007 — making it the most intense HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world. According to United Nations estimates, there are 15,000 children infected with HIV in Swaziland and an estimated 63,000 AIDS orphans.

During the walk, participants will meet scientists, medical personnel, and children and families living with AIDS to learn about various challenges posed by the disease. Through these visits and interactions, walkers have the chance to learn how the Foundation is reaching children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Each walker raises $15,000 for the event, which will be used to support the Foundation’s lifesaving programs.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation has worked with the Ministry of Health in Swaziland since 2004 to ensure universal access to services for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, and to provide care and treatment services for HIV-positive pregnant women, children, and families. The Foundation is working to eradicate pediatric HIV infection by supporting the Swaziland national PMTCT care and treatment programs at the national, regional, and site levels.

A video of AIDS Walk Africa, narrated by prominent United States broadcaster Willow Bay, an editor for the Huffington Post blog, is available at www.pedaids.org/awa2008.

To arrange interviews with walkers, or to get more detailed information regarding the route, please contact Beatrice Karanja in Kenya at bkaranja@pedaids.org or Lisa Lederer in the United States at llederer@pedaids.org.

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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide.