Leadership and investment in fighting an epidemic (LIFE) : proposed joint operating plan of the US Agency for International Development, the US Department of Health Services, and the US Department of Defense

Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Defense operating plan, the Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative. On July 19, 1999, the US administration announced this LIFE initiative to address the global AIDS pandemic. A central feature of this Initiative is a US$100 million increase in US support for sub- Saharan African countries and India that are working to prevent the further spread of HIV and to care for those affected by the disease. This initiative addresses four key program elements critical to fighting the AIDS pandemic: (1) primary prevention among civilian and military; (2) improving community and home- based care and treatment; (3) caring for children affected with AIDS; and (4) capacity and infrastructure development. This initiative is managed and monitored through a Task Force that is composed of designated focus point persons from each agency. Overall, the success of this initiative depends on the scale, scope, and quality of services delivered in target countries, particularly at the community level. (POPLINE abstract)