First Four Years: A Synopsis of the Global Effort. Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP)

摘要

In response to the increasing devastation and instability in developing countries caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the United States Government augmented its existing HIV/AIDS programs by pioneering the Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative, commencing in 1999. At the urging of the White House, the Department of Defense (DoD) committed to participate but limited its scope of activities to prevention programs in sub-Saharan Africa. The uniformed militaries in sub-Saharan Africa face serious health threats, which have an effect on operational readiness and national security due to high rates of HIV infection among their personnel. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for African Affairs and the DASD for Clinical and Program Policy subsequently provided policy direction, technical support, and a comprehensive strategy for the DoD portion of the LIFE Initiative. Under the leadership of the Office of the DASD for African Affairs, a plan was conceived to cover 42 African militaries at 5 priority levels. Under this plan, program staff approached Ministers of Defense and their military chiefs with an offer of technical assistance and fiscal support. The US Congress provided $10 million as part of the Defense Health Program budget to support the DoD Life Initiative for fiscal years 2001 to 2002. In November 2000, the US Navy was designated as Executive Agent for the DoD LIFE Initiative, with responsibility for program management assigned to the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California. During the early stages of the LIFE Initiative, the DoD joined ongoing efforts of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and those managed by allies and the United Nations, to provide uniformed personnel with access to existing HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment programs.