UNAIDS Cites (RED) as an Innovative Organization For an AIDS Free Generations in 2015

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), visited South Africa last week and pressed that with political will and increased funding, the world could see an AIDS Free Generation born in 2015. There is a great deal of global interest in the 2015 goal, and UNAIDS cites (RED) as an example of an innovative organization promoting awareness and raising needed resources in helping reach it. 

UNAIDS estimates about 90% of new HIV infections among children are concentrated in 22 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The Global Plan delivered after the UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS in June 2011 focuses on how to address the challenges in these priority countries, and it emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach that incorporates a broad range of maternal and child health programs, puts utmost importance on country ownership of the programs and emphasizes the need for concrete plans and accountability at every level, from governments down to local communities.
Speaking from the Zola clinic in Soweto, South Africa, one of the 22 most burdened countries with 14% of the global burden, Mr. Sidibé said, “Mother by mother, clinic by clinic, and country by country we can reach pregnant women with HIV services, to ensure their babies are born free from HIV and to improve their own health.” He called on countries to accelerate progress towards the global goal to eliminate new HIV infections amongst children.

Representatives from the 22 high burden countries are meeting in South Africa this week to assess the country plans called for in the Global Plan. The two-day meeting will focus on closing the gap in these countries and creating momentum for the 2015 goal of an AIDS Free Generation being born.

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Thank you for being (RED).

Ashley

Bono's Tribute to Steve Jobs, a True (RED) Champion..

"What made Steve Jobs truly great is that he was only interested in doing truly great things.  He was bored by an easy ride or easy profit.  In a world littered with dull objects, he brought the beauty of clean lines and clear thought. This rhyme of intellect and intuition could be applied to a wide range of subjects from the US education system, to sculpture, to the fight against HIV/AIDS where his support of (RED) literally transformed the lives of two million people in Africa.

He changed music. He changed film. He changed the personal computer and turned telephony on its head while he was at it.  He was tenacious in the extreme, his toughness never more evident than these past few years in his fight for his life as well as his companies.

Steve told me as proud as he was of Apple and Pixar, his real pride was his family.  He was a thoughtful and tender father, and loved nothing more than hanging out in the house with his belle Laurene and the kids.

I already miss him...one of a very small group of anarchic Americans who through technology literally invented the 21st century. We will all miss the hardware software Elvis."
 -Bono

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011...

The (RED) team would like to express condolences to Steve Jobs' family, friends and colleagues today. Mr. Jobs led Apple into its partnership with (RED) in 2006 and that partnership has helped to save the lives of millions of people with HIV in Africa. We are forever grateful for his leadership.