GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR MARK DYBUL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000279

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF
S/OFFICE OF GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR, BHAVNA PATEL
STATE PLEASE TO USAID GLOBAL HEALTH BUREAU
HHS PLEASE PASS TO OFFICE OF GLOBAL HEALTH AFFAIRS, WILLIAM
STEIGER AND SAMUEL ANDENIYI-JONES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KHIV PREL SF SOCI
SUBJECT: GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR MARK DYBUL
HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION AND PARTNERSHIPS IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS TO SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA


PRETORIA 00000279 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) Summary: During his January 25 visit to Pretoria,
Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Mark Dybul emphasized that
PEPFAR represents a transformation in donor aid from a
donor/recipient mode to an equal partnership with host
countries. He also highlighted the importance of prevention,
partnerships, and sustainability of programs as we move into
the next five years of PEPFAR. End Summary


2. (U) Ambassador Dybul and Ambassador Bost participated in
a roundtable on January 25, with print and radio media. They
emphasized that President Bush has led a philosophical
revolution in development and that the USG, through PEPFAR,
is working as an equal partner with South Africa to combat
HIV/AIDS. Both stressed that the USG measures success by the
number of lives saved or improved, not by the amount of money
spent. Taped portions of Ambassdor Dybul's roundtable
discussion with Channel Africa (the South African
Broadcasting Corporation's regional radio network) was
packaged into a one minute segment and used at 15h15 and
19h15 on Friday, January 25, in English and French. Channel
Africa broadcasts live on three platforms; shortwave,
satellite and internet. Its broadcasts are in Chinyanja,
Silozi, Kiswahili, English, French and Portuguese. The
shortwave broadcast covers South, East, Central and West
Africa. The satellite broadcast covers the sub-Saharan
region, although it can be picked up as far as London. The
internet broadcast covers the world.


3. (U) Ambassador Dybul participated in a live call-in
program on Radio 702 from 9:45-10:30 pm (Jan. 25) broadcast
in Gauteng (Pretoria, Johannesburg, audience 400,000) and the
Western Cape (Cape Town, audience 113,000). After a fifteen
minute discussion with the host, he answered questions from
listeners. Listeners asked about the SAG's investment in
fighting HIV/AIDS, USG cooperation with the SAG, and included
praise for the efforts of both governments and calls for
greater cooperation. Ambassador Dybul emphasized that it is
not only the responsibility of governments to fight HIV/AIDS,
but that all individuals must take personal responsibility in
order to effect the behavior change needed to combat the
disease.


4. (U) An article with the headline "US Cash for AIDS Rivals
State's Own Budget," appeared in the Sunday Times
(circulation 500,000),January 27, highlighting the increased
USG commitment to South Africa through PEPFAR in 2008. The
article noted that "Both ambassadors (Dybul and Bost) said
the plan was close to President George W. Bush's heart. 'I
have heard this from his mouth,' said Bost." It further
quoted Ambassador Dybul stating that, "South Africa's HIV and
AIDS and STI Strategic Plan is a 'model for the rest of the
world in many ways'."


5. (U) Ambassador Dybul met with a group from the South
African Department of Correctional Services (DCS). The DCS
receives PEPFAR support for its comprehensive HIV/AIDS
program. Correctional Services noted that some of its
biggest challenges are a lack of isolation facilities for
infection control and lack of nurses within the prisons.
This is especially significant given the number of TB cases
QThis is especially significant given the number of TB cases
within the prisons, including more than 200 cases of
multi-drug resistant TB and 97 cases of extensively-drug
resistant TB. The Department noted that it is compiling its
challenges and best practices, which it would like to share
as a model with other SADC countries. This would be
important for the region since South Africa has one of the
only correctional services departments within Africa with a
comprehensive HIV/AIDS program.


6. (SBU) Ambassador Dybul led a discussion with Ambassador
Bost and the USG South Africa PEPFAR Task Force in which he
reflected on the strategic focus areas for the team in the
upcoming year. Ambassador Dybul stated that 2008 should be
the year of prevention and that the team should look closely
at programs to see where changes could promote greater
progress. He futher highlighted the need for the team to
surpass its program targets on treatment. The discussion
also focused on the ongoing PEPFAR reauthorization process in
Congress and the need to plan on scaling down South Africa's
PEPFAR budget and shifting from programmatic areas to
sustainability and technical assistance.

PRETORIA 00000279 002.2 OF 002




7. (U) Ambassador Bost later hosted a reception for
Ambassador Dybul at his residence that included SAG
officials, representatives of international and business
organizations, PEPFAR partners and Task Force members.


8. (U) This cable has been cleared by the Office of the
Global AIDS Coordinator.
BOST