President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)⁷

During his state of the Union address in 2003, President Bush announced his PEPFAR initiative; this groundbreaking intervention encompasses HIV/AIDS activities in more than 75 countries and focuses on 15 countries worldwide – of which Mozambique is one of 12 in Africa – to develop integrated care and treatment programmes. Over the next 5 years, PEPFAR is donating a total of US $15billion, of which 15% is earmarked funding for palliative care. This has dramatically changed the palliative care landscape in Africa, as bids for new initiatives are attracting the funding for implementation. Four main areas are targeted:

• prevention of HIV transmission
• treatment of AIDS and associated conditions
• palliative care for HIV infected individuals
• care for AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children

PEPFAR's commitment to Mozambique for 2004 has been reported as $25.5 million, including funds for prevention, counselling, mother-to-child transmission, orphans and home-based care.⁸