2008-12-19 23:19:01 -

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proud to announce that it has received a "Letter of Appreciation" from the government of Sierra Leone expressing gratitude for AHF's partnership in the recent "One Million Tests/World AIDS Day 2008" campaign. The worldwide campaign spearheaded by AHF, brought together 1000 global partners in 72 countries, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local and national governments, international

relief agencies, faith-based organizations and civil society in a collaborative effort to conduct free HIV tests to one million people around the global in observance of World AIDS Day 2008.
Having made a commitment to provide 20,000 free HIV tests to its citizenry as part of the campaign, Sierra Leone's National HIV/AIDS Council and Secretariat exceeded that goal by conducting 23,063 HIV tests in twelve districts in the week leading up to World AIDS Day, November 26th to December 1st 2008. In a remarkable collaboration between the government, non-profit and private sectors, these tests were conducted in part due to a successful partnership with Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. who generously donated 10,000 "Determine" HIV tests, half of the total provided to the government of Sierra Leone. Funding for the additional 10,000 tests was provided by AHF.
In the letter, Dr. Brima Kargbo, MD, MPH, Director of the National HIV/AIDS Council and Secretariat, states: "I am pleased to inform you that Sierra Leone tested 23,063 people (9,424 males and 13,639 females). We are very much appreciative of the test kits that were made available for the exercise. We hope our collaboration will continue to be strengthened."
"We humbly and gratefully receive this acknowledgement from the government of Sierra Leone and would like to return the compliment by praising the remarkable commitment of the National HIV/AIDS Council and Secretariat. We would also like to express our thanks to Inverness for its generous donation of 10,000 HIV tests to the Sierra Leone World AIDS Day effort," said Terri Ford, Director of Global Advocacy for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "To make this happen, AHF, the Sierra Leone government and Inverness united in a powerful trio of NGO, government and industry. This is a great example of how, with a united effort, great strides can be made in the fight against AIDS."
Add Ms. Ford: "We are also pleased to announce that as a result of this successful partnership, AHF has been invited to meet with the Sierra Leone government in Freetown to discuss further collaboration for expanded testing and treatment services in the country."
Full text of the letter below:
National HIV/AIDS Secretariat

15A Kingharman Road

Brookfields,

Freetown

Sierra Leone
Re: NHAS/WAD/2008
16th December 2008
Terri M. Ford

Director, Global Advocacy

Director, One Million Tests Campaign

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Dear Terri,
LETTER OF APPRECIATION
On behalf of the National HIV/AIDS Council and its Secretariat I wish to express our profound thanks and appreciation to you and your institution in particular for the recent support in commemorating World AIDS Day 2008 in Sierra Leone. Your support was very timely and clearly manifested the commitment of your institution in partnering with us in the global campaign against the spread of the HIV.
I am pleased to inform you that Sierra Leone tested 23,063 people (9,424 males and 13,639 females). We are very much appreciative of the test kits that were made available for the exercise. We hope our collaboration will continue to be strengthened.
Once more, I register my thanks and appreciation on behalf of the People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) to you and your entire team. We look forward to a continued close collaboration as we are on the verge of stabilizing the epidemic in Sierra Leone.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Brima Kargbo, MD, MPH, Certified

Director, National HIV/AIDS Secretariat

About AHF
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS organization in the US. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 93,000 individuals in 21 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia. Additional information is available at www.aidshealth.org.

Media Contacts:

Lori Yeghiayan

Associate Director of Communications

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Office: +1-323-860-5227

Mobile: +1-323-377-4312

loriy@aidshealth.org

Terri M. Ford

Director of Global Advocacy

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Mobile: +1-213-399-1001

terrif@aidshealth.org