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In Maseru today, the United States Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the government of Lesotho signed a five-year bilateral Development Objective Grant Agreement to provide the Framework for USAID’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) funding for Lesotho. Over the next 5 years, approved total funding levels of up to US$250 million for programming through USAID implementing partners is anticipated.
The U. S. has government has spent more than US$384 million toward achieving HIV/AIDS epidemic control in Lesotho. The $250 million expected for USAID is in addition to other PEPFAR funding that goes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other U.S. Government agencies currently supporting Lesotho's HIV/AIDS response.
“The United States is extremely proud of our long-standing partnership with Lesotho, especially our joint efforts to save lives through PEPFAR over the last 10 years. We continue to work closely with the Government of Lesotho and our implementing partners on a daily basis to ensure Basotho living with HIV/AIDS receive the testing, counseling, and treatment services they need to live healthy, productive lives. I am delighted to sign the Development Objective Agreement with Lesotho on behalf of the U.S. Government, which will serve as a durable platform for our joint efforts,” U.S.Ambassador Rebecca E. Gonzales added.
PEPFAR is the U.S. Government’s comprehensive global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. PEPFAR and other U.S. Government agencies support HIV testing, treatment and prevention programming, and capacity building of health systems worldwide. PEPFAR-funded programs prioritize identifying and treating individuals living in areas with a high prevalence of HIV and population groups most at risk of contracting HIV, such as adolescent girls and young women, key populations and other hard to reach populations such as older men. PEPFAR is the largest commitment ever made by a single nation toward an international health initiative. In Lesotho, PEPFAR programs work with local health workers to deliver high-quality lifesaving HIV prevention, care and treatment services, place clinical personnel where needed, and work to build local capacity while striving to achieve UNAIDS and PEPFAR’s shared vision of 95-95-95.
Each year, U.S. foreign assistance, including health funding through PEPFAR, is subject to the availability of fiscal year appropriations from the U.S. Congress.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Regional Media Hub.
