AMREF hosts U.S. Hill Staffers on visit to Kenya
August 15th, 2011
AMREF was honored to host a delegation of staff leaders for US Senators and a Congressperson at AMREF headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. They met with heads of several civil society organizations to discuss HIV/AIDS funding, program needs and to ensure US funding is being well-spent.
Attending:
US Government
Virginia Boney, office of Senator Lindsay Graham
Binta Beard, office of Senator Richard Durbin
Jean Doyle, office of Senator Barbara Mikulski
Karen Robb, office of Representative Chris Van Hollen
CSO/NGO representatives
Carol Bergman, Senior Policy Advisor, Infectious Disease Society of America
Christine Lubinski, VP for Global Health Policy, Infectious Disease Society of America
Thomas Onsongo, Network of Post Test HIV/AIDS Community Organization
Rosemary Mburu, Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium
Jacque Wambui, AIDS Law Project
Anne Owiti, KICOSHEP
Mary Adera, KICOSHEP
Nelson Otwoma, Network of People Living with AIDS in Kenya
Maurine Morenga, Leon on Me
Paul Davis, Health Gap
Jael Amati, GROOTs Kenya
Melba Katindi, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network
Nicholas Makau, Children of God
Dr. Lennie Bazira, Director AMREF Kenya
Dr. Njeri Mwaura, AMREF Kenya
Dr. Abebe Aberra, AMREF HIV/AIDS lead person
Dr. Andre Ndikuyeze, AMREF Senior Policy Advisor
Lisa Meadowcroft, AMREF USA
Chaired by Carol Bergman, Senior Policy Advisor for the IDSA, the civil society organizations presented themselves and then were asked to talk about the top priorities on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Kenya. Issues of financing, continuing care, predominated the discussion, together with issues such as pediatric care, sustainability, stigmatism, legal rights, and integrated approaches.
With severe budget cuts in the offing, the US Government staffers urged the NGO leaders to ensure that US taxpayers' dollars are being used most effectively and to provide stories of best practices and impact of those dollars on ensuring stability in the communities – and where possible relate this to the impact on the individual child as this humanitarian approach is one that has a unique appeal.
The congressional staffers also visited Kibera which is one of largest slums in Africa. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has funded an HIV/PMTCT program there through AMREF since 2005. The staffers were pleased with the opportunity to speak with people who were recipients of the US funding through AMREF's activities and interventions.
