Monday September 10, 2001
Press Release
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation
Announces New International Leadership Award Program
To Help Control Aids Epidemic In Developing Nations
Three-Year, $450,000 Grants
Designed To Train Scientific Leaders In Resource-Poor Countries
KAMPALA, UGANDA --(INTERNET WIRE)--Sep 10, 2001-- In an attempt to help control the AIDS epidemic in developing nations, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation announced the creation of the International Leadership Award program at the third conference on Global Strategies for the Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mothers to Infants being held in Uganda this week. These three-year, $450,000 grants are designed to invest in trained individuals in resource-poor countries who have the potential to develop programs which will have a direct impact on the pediatric HIV epidemic in their country, but lack the resources to do so. The Award specifically seeks to identify individuals who are likely to have an enduring impact on controlling the epidemic.
"Our hope is that the International Leadership Award program, modeled after the success of the Foundation's Elizabeth Glaser Scientist Award, will foster the next generation of leaders who will collaborate and share their knowledge so that the group of international HIV/AIDS leaders continues to grow," said Kate Carr, CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. "We expect these scientists will then succeed in establishing programs that change the pediatric HIV epidemic in their country."
Developing nations are currently facing the challenge of controlling the HIV epidemic with a lack of human and financial resources. Most researchers and leaders in developing countries receive education and experience for several years in developed nations. Unfortunately, once these individuals are trained and return to their countries there are few resources to help them put their new skills to use in the form of programs and research. It is extremely difficult to garner the necessary support to foster these essential programs. The International Leadership Award will meet the need of future leaders by providing the necessary support to develop programs and conduct research after their training is completed.
The International Leadership Award will provide each recipient with funding for salary support and to help offset program costs. It provides research funding that enables recipients to focus their long-term efforts on issues specific to pediatric HIV/AIDS and fosters the next generation of leaders in the field. Award recipients will mentor a minimum of three additional people who will benefit from the experience and help achieve project goals. These are individuals who will be hired and trained to work on the project.
International Leadership Award recipients will create HIV/AIDS research and implementation programs in areas including epidemiology, vaccine development, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, treatment of infected mothers and infants, development of national policies or strategies to combat pediatric HIV, assessment of economic impact of disease and its prevention, or training of additional in-country and regional professionals.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the leading worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying, funding, and conducting pediatric HIV/AIDS research as well as promoting global education, awareness, and compassion about HIV/AIDS in children. In addition, the Foundation is committed to working on other serious and life-threatening diseases facing children through the newly created Glaser Pediatric Research Network. The Network brings together five of the nation's pre-eminent academic medical centers in an unprecedented collaboration that will accelerate better treatments for seriously ill children, help train the next generation of pediatric clinical investigators, and serve as a united voice to advocate policies that improve children's health worldwide. Since 1988, the Foundation has raised more than $120 million to ensure that children are at the forefront of every scientific breakthrough.
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