AHF and Kenya Medical Research Institute Partner to Save Lives at Free AIDS

[Guest guest]

AHF and Kenya Medical Research Institute Partner to Save Lives at Free

AIDS Treatment Clinic in Mombasa

Facility, AHF's First in Kenya, is US AIDS Group's 39th Global AIDS

Treatment Clinic in 14 Countries Worldwide. New Kenyan Partnership

Will Provide Life- saving Anti-retroviral Therapy in Town of Mtongwe,

Mombasa, Kenya, where the National HIV/AIDS Prevalence is Over 6%

MOMBASA, Kenya and LOS ANGELES, October 03, 2007

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), has

joined together with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to

help save lives in Kenya by providing HIV/AIDS medical care, including

antiretroviral therapy (ART) within the framework of the National HIV

and AIDS Care, Management and Treatment Plan at a new free treatment

clinic in the town of Mtongwe in Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city.

The clinic is AHF's first site in the hard-hit East African country

where more than 1.2 million of the country's 37 million people are

living with HIV/AIDS according to UNAIDS statistics.

" During September, we began treating our first patients and started

delivering lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment at this new HIV/AIDS

treatment center in Mtongwe, " said Bernard Okongo, MD, Africa Bureau

Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest US-based AIDS

organization which operates free AIDS treatment clinics in the US,

Africa, Central America and Asia. " The AHF-supported staff had been in

training and at this site since July, and was eager to begin

delivering care and treatment. We are pleased to have our staff

working together with colleagues from the Kenya Medical Research

Institute in this lifesaving collaboration. "

" We plan to work closely with our distinguished partners in the fight

against AIDS in Kenya at this new treatment center in Mtongwe, " said

Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. " This is

our first clinic in Kenya, and our goal includes bringing much-needed

AIDS care and treatment to those in need, including children. We also

hope to help scale up the delivery of antiretroviral treatment in

Kenya at this community-based setting and other treatment sites in the

country in the future. "

" The Mtongwe Health Care Center will provide the full continuum of

integrated HIV/AIDS services. People can come to the clinic for free

confidential HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and, if needed, receive

appropriate and high-quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment at no cost to

them, " added Dr. Okongo. " In our family care model, we encourage

parents to bring their children and husbands and wives to come

together, and we will work with our partners at KEMRI to ensure that

all people who visit the clinic receive the best possible care. "

" AHF's strategy in this newest global treatment center will be to

provide support and technical assistance to ensure the highest quality

of care to patients at this new facility in Kenya, " added Henry E.

Chang, Chief of Global Affairs for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. " This

includes the training of local medical staff to provide the highest

quality care and treatment to those in need, a key to the success of

all of AHF's global ART delivery programs. AHF will also work in close

cooperation with the Kenya Medical Research Institute to ensure our

mutually-defined treatment goals and objectives are achieved. "

HIV/AIDS in Kenya

According to UNAIDS, approximately 1.2 million of Kenya's 37 million

people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2005, and it is estimated that

140,000 adults and children died from AIDS in Kenya in 2005. Kaiser

Family Foundation's Global Health Facts estimated that Kenya's

HIV/AIDS prevalence in 2005 was approximately 6.1%, while the adult

prevalence globally was just over 1%. Women account for approximately

two-thirds of the adults estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in the

country, and HIV is spread primarily through heterosexual sex in Kenya.

Currently in Kenya there are about 300 sites providing adult ART care.

Approximately two-thirds of these sites are able to provide pediatric

ART; however, there are only 12,000 children on treatment in Kenya and

it is estimated that 48,000 children are in immediate need of

treatment. The new AHF/KEMRI facility in Mtongwe will provide care and

treatment, including lifesaving antiretroviral therapy, to adults and

children.

About KEMRI

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is a State Corporation

whose vision is to be a leading center of excellence in the promotion

of quality health and a mission to improve the quality of health and

human life through research. It has a Board of management headed by a

Chairman, appointed by the Minister for Health. The Director is the

Chief Executive of the Institute. KEMRI achieves its vision and

mission through collaboration between local and international

scientist from both governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Some of this collaboration involves participating in HIV/AIDS Programs

providing quality care/treatment to AIDS patients and also supporting

HIV Prevention through Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT);

Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) etc.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the US' largest non-profit

HIV/AIDS healthcare, research, prevention and education provider. AHF

currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 62,000

individuals in 17 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin

America/Caribbean and Asia. Additional information is available at

www.aidshealth.org

If you have received this news release in error and do not wish to

receive future advisories, or if they should be directed to someone

else in your organization, please call (323) 860-5262. Alternatively,

you may fax your updated information or your request for removal from

our list to (323) 962-8513 or e-mail jennifer.ramirez@...

CONTACT: United States, Ged Kenslea, +1-323-860-5225, or

mobile,+1-323-791-5523, , or Lori Yeghiayan, +1-323-860-5227,or

mobile, +1-323-377-4312, ; or Africa,Bernard Okongo, MD, Africa Bureau

Chief (Uganda-based), office,+256-41-346311, or mobile(s),

+256-712-551357 and +1-323-646-0446, all ofAIDS Healthcare Foundation

gedk@... lori.yeghiayan@...

Web site: http://www.aidshealth.org/

[Guest guest]

AHF and Kenya Medical Research Institute Partner to Save Lives at Free

AIDS Treatment Clinic in Mombasa

Facility, AHF's First in Kenya, is US AIDS Group's 39th Global AIDS

Treatment Clinic in 14 Countries Worldwide. New Kenyan Partnership

Will Provide Life- saving Anti-retroviral Therapy in Town of Mtongwe,

Mombasa, Kenya, where the National HIV/AIDS Prevalence is Over 6%

MOMBASA, Kenya and LOS ANGELES, October 03, 2007

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), has

joined together with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to

help save lives in Kenya by providing HIV/AIDS medical care, including

antiretroviral therapy (ART) within the framework of the National HIV

and AIDS Care, Management and Treatment Plan at a new free treatment

clinic in the town of Mtongwe in Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city.

The clinic is AHF's first site in the hard-hit East African country

where more than 1.2 million of the country's 37 million people are

living with HIV/AIDS according to UNAIDS statistics.

" During September, we began treating our first patients and started

delivering lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment at this new HIV/AIDS

treatment center in Mtongwe, " said Bernard Okongo, MD, Africa Bureau

Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest US-based AIDS

organization which operates free AIDS treatment clinics in the US,

Africa, Central America and Asia. " The AHF-supported staff had been in

training and at this site since July, and was eager to begin

delivering care and treatment. We are pleased to have our staff

working together with colleagues from the Kenya Medical Research

Institute in this lifesaving collaboration. "

" We plan to work closely with our distinguished partners in the fight

against AIDS in Kenya at this new treatment center in Mtongwe, " said

Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. " This is

our first clinic in Kenya, and our goal includes bringing much-needed

AIDS care and treatment to those in need, including children. We also

hope to help scale up the delivery of antiretroviral treatment in

Kenya at this community-based setting and other treatment sites in the

country in the future. "

" The Mtongwe Health Care Center will provide the full continuum of

integrated HIV/AIDS services. People can come to the clinic for free

confidential HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and, if needed, receive

appropriate and high-quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment at no cost to

them, " added Dr. Okongo. " In our family care model, we encourage

parents to bring their children and husbands and wives to come

together, and we will work with our partners at KEMRI to ensure that

all people who visit the clinic receive the best possible care. "

" AHF's strategy in this newest global treatment center will be to

provide support and technical assistance to ensure the highest quality

of care to patients at this new facility in Kenya, " added Henry E.

Chang, Chief of Global Affairs for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. " This

includes the training of local medical staff to provide the highest

quality care and treatment to those in need, a key to the success of

all of AHF's global ART delivery programs. AHF will also work in close

cooperation with the Kenya Medical Research Institute to ensure our

mutually-defined treatment goals and objectives are achieved. "

HIV/AIDS in Kenya

According to UNAIDS, approximately 1.2 million of Kenya's 37 million

people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2005, and it is estimated that

140,000 adults and children died from AIDS in Kenya in 2005. Kaiser

Family Foundation's Global Health Facts estimated that Kenya's

HIV/AIDS prevalence in 2005 was approximately 6.1%, while the adult

prevalence globally was just over 1%. Women account for approximately

two-thirds of the adults estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in the

country, and HIV is spread primarily through heterosexual sex in Kenya.

Currently in Kenya there are about 300 sites providing adult ART care.

Approximately two-thirds of these sites are able to provide pediatric

ART; however, there are only 12,000 children on treatment in Kenya and

it is estimated that 48,000 children are in immediate need of

treatment. The new AHF/KEMRI facility in Mtongwe will provide care and

treatment, including lifesaving antiretroviral therapy, to adults and

children.

About KEMRI

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is a State Corporation

whose vision is to be a leading center of excellence in the promotion

of quality health and a mission to improve the quality of health and

human life through research. It has a Board of management headed by a

Chairman, appointed by the Minister for Health. The Director is the

Chief Executive of the Institute. KEMRI achieves its vision and

mission through collaboration between local and international

scientist from both governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Some of this collaboration involves participating in HIV/AIDS Programs

providing quality care/treatment to AIDS patients and also supporting

HIV Prevention through Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT);

Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) etc.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the US' largest non-profit

HIV/AIDS healthcare, research, prevention and education provider. AHF

currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 62,000

individuals in 17 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin

America/Caribbean and Asia. Additional information is available at

www.aidshealth.org

If you have received this news release in error and do not wish to

receive future advisories, or if they should be directed to someone

else in your organization, please call (323) 860-5262. Alternatively,

you may fax your updated information or your request for removal from

our list to (323) 962-8513 or e-mail jennifer.ramirez@...

CONTACT: United States, Ged Kenslea, +1-323-860-5225, or

mobile,+1-323-791-5523, , or Lori Yeghiayan, +1-323-860-5227,or

mobile, +1-323-377-4312, ; or Africa,Bernard Okongo, MD, Africa Bureau

Chief (Uganda-based), office,+256-41-346311, or mobile(s),

+256-712-551357 and +1-323-646-0446, all ofAIDS Healthcare Foundation

gedk@... lori.yeghiayan@...

Web site: http://www.aidshealth.org/