USAID/PSP-One and Guatemala Medical Association Sign Declaration to Address HIV/AIDS
The Abt Associates-led PSP-One project and the Guatemala Medical Association have signed a declaration that supports the growing role of private providers and laboratory owners in addressing HIV/AIDS. The two organizations have agreed to work together to make quality HIV/AIDS counseling and testing services in Guatemala through private healthcare providers more accessible to vulnerable populations.
The official signing of the Declaration happened at the opening ceremony of the National Medical Association's 50th Anniversary Congress, which took place November 28 to December 1, 2007, World AIDS Day. US Ambassador in Guatemala, James M. Derham, along with other high-level officials in the Guatemala medical community including the President of the Medical Association, Dr. Mario Cordon, and Vice-President-elect of the Republic of Guatemala, Dr. Rafael Espada, opened the National Medical Association's 50th Anniversary Congress. Ambassador Derham seized this opportunity to express the US government's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS worldwide and to congratulate the Guatemala Medical Association's leadership role in HIV/AIDS prevention. He also described USAID/Guatemala's comprehensive portfolio of activities in HIV/AIDS, stressing the need to work not only with public providers but with private providers as well. Ambassador Derham concluded his opening remarks with the announcement of the newly formed partnership between USAID's PSP-One project and the Guatemala Medical Association to mobilize and train private providers to deliver quality HIV/AIDS counseling and testing.
During this event, PSP-One Guatemala Chief of Party, Dr. Yma Alfaro, spoke with the incoming Vice-President of Guatemala, Dr. Espada, about the critical role of private providers in addressing HIV/AIDS prevention. Agreeing with Dr. Alfaro on this point, Dr. Espada, a renowned private physician in Guatemala, asked her about the PSP-One project's work with private Guatemala physicians and requested to be kept current on the progress of this activity once in office.
As part of the effort to mobilize support, the Guatemalan Medical Association connected forces with USAID/Guatemala and the Ministry of Health National AIDS Program and signed the declaration demonstrating their support of private providers' participation in HIV/AIDS prevention. All Congress attendants were then encouraged to sign an online version of the Declaration. Please join them by signing this electronic petition by visting: www.ipetitions.com/petition/frenar_VIH/
Abt Associates, a leader in health, research and strategic planning, manages the Private Sector Partnerships One project with a mandate to increase private sector involvement in family planning, reproductive health, and other health products and services. Funded from 2004 to 2009 by the U.S. Agency for International Development, PSP-One's goal is to provide technical leadership that promotes and expands the private sector's interest, ability, and direct involvement in the delivery of high-quality and affordable health products and services in the developing world.
