HIV infection and AIDS : a report to Congress on the USAID program for prevention and control

This paper describes A.I.D."s efforts to help developing countries build long-term AIDS prevention and control programs. The cornerstone of A.I.D."s effort involves support to the World Health Organization"s Global Program on AIDS (WHO/GPA), which provides leadership in the development of national and international programs; coordinates and supports biomedical, epidemiological, and social/behavioral research; and collects and disseminates information to monitor the pandemic. A.I.D. funding makes up about 25% of the WHO/GPA budget. Within the framework of the WHO/GPA strategy, A.I.D. also provides bilateral assistance to 43 countries by providing commodities, technical assistance, and training. Two major activities are: (1) AIDSCOM, which aims to develop effective public health communication strategies, prevention counseling approaches, and methods for marketing condoms, and (2) AIDSTECH, which provides technical assistance and training in high-risk behavior change, identifying effective and affordable methods for keeping blood supplies free of HIV, monitoring the pandemic, and improving the logistics of condom distribution. A.I.D. also provides support to a variety of private voluntary organizations.