Press Release

Fifth Annual President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) Report to Congress Released

The U.S. Department of State released The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) 2009, the annual report to Congress, on Monday, January 12, 2009.  This report highlights the achievements of the first five years of PEPFAR, the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in human history.

The fifth Annual Report celebrates life. In countless communities around the world, through partnerships with the American people, courageous individuals in nations devastated by HIV/AIDS are choosing life, saving the lives of their fellow countrymen and women, and creating hope for a future free of HIV/AIDS. Through the power of these partnerships, the American people and the dedicated men and women in nations devastated by HIV/ AIDS have proven that the seemingly impossible is possible.

In her remarks at the release of the report, Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice said, “When PEPFAR was announced, the President set out aggressive goals of supporting treatment for 2 million people, preventing 7 million new infections, and care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children.  It is estimated that in 2003, only 50,000 people living with HIV in all of Sub-Saharan Africa were receiving antiretroviral treatment.  Ahead of schedule, the United States has fulfilled its commitment to support treatment for 2 million people.  As of September 30, 2008, PEPFAR supported life-saving antiretroviral treatment for more than 2.1 million men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS around the world."

“PEPFAR has also supported prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services for women during nearly 16 million pregnancies, allowing an estimated 237,000 babies to be born without HIV, and we’ve reached millions with the ABC message developed in Africa. 

“Another milestone is in our goal for care.  We now support care for more than 10.1 million people affected worldwide, including more than 4 million orphans and vulnerable children who represent the hope for a brighter future,” Secretary of State, Rice, said.

At the same event, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Dr. Mark Dybul, commented, “Five years ago, the President set a final goal, but also annual targets to achieve that goal, and we’ve pretty much met them every year.   And that’s a rather extraordinary thing.”

To access the complete report, log on to: www.pepfar.gov/press/fifth_annual_report/