GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR MARK DYBUL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000280 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 00000280 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 00000280 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