A woman holds up a sign that says

PEPFAR and Global Health Diplomacy in South Africa

12:00-1:00 pm EST

Virtual

Register

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many in the media compared it to the 1918 flu pandemic, seemingly the most severe pandemic in recent history. But there is a far more recent pandemic where the global fight continues: HIV/AIDS.

AIDS was the number one killer of adults in the United States in the early 1990s. While the worst of the pandemic ebbed by the end of the decade in the United States thanks to the advent and availability of effective treatment regimens, the same could not be said for the rest of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Moved by the toll of the disease on this region of the continent, in 2003, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Thanks to continued bipartisan support throughout its twenty-one year history, PEPFAR has saved over 25 million lives and provided treatment to over 20 million people.

On Wednesday, December 11th, from 12:00-1:00 pm EST, join NMAD as we discuss the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the creation of the largest U.S. global health diplomacy program, and PEPFAR’s implementation in South Africa: the epicenter of the pandemic. 

Speakers: 

  • Taylor Livingston, NMAD’s Science Policy Fellow
  • Austin Jones, Program Manager for PEPFAR South Africa
  • Mihlali Mlonyeni, Provincial Program Coordinator and Community Grants Specialist, PEPFAR Community Grants Program, South Africa

This event is a live Zoom discussion followed by audience Q&A. Registration is required to obtain access details.

For further information or if you require reasonable accommodations to attend the event, please contact nmad-programs@state.gov.

logo for PEPFAR with the US and South African flags that says "U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

FROM THE COLLECTION

2010 World Cup Vuvuzela

Vuvuzelas are horns often made out of plastic. The sound they produce is a common feature of South African stadium soccer games. For the 2010 World Cup for Football/Soccer held in South Africa, PEPFAR commissioned vuvuzelas like this one in NMAD’s permanent collection to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. The vuvuzela features a sticker with PEPFAR South Africa’s logo and the message, “HIV: Get Tested – Be Responsible.” Collection of the National Museum of American Diplomacy
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