Solutions Magazine, Spring 2006 - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

Lesotho, a tiny independent kingdom within the borders of South Africa, boasts striking natural beauty, a rich history, abundant hospitality and excellent hiking. Less apparent is the HIV/AIDS epidemic rampant among Lesotho's smiling children.

An estimated 20,000 children are HIV-positive in Lesotho, a country with a population of 1.8 million, and only three pediatricians to treat all childhood illness and disease.

Despite these sobering numbers, Baylor College Medicine, along with partners Bristol-Myers Squibb and the government of Lesotho, recently put forth a ray of hope for the children of Lesotho.

The Baylor/Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Clinical Center of Excellence-Lesotho opened on December 1—World AIDS Day. The event was cheered by a crowd of approximately 1,000 local people, dancers and singers, and hosted by the King of Lesotho, Letsie III, in the capital city of Maseru.

Dignitaries at ceremonies dedicating the Children's Clinical Center of Excellence-Lesotho

Dignitaries observe a moment of silence for victims of HIV/AIDS during ceremonies dedicating the Baylor/Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Clinical Center of Excellence-Lesotho in Maseru, Lesotho, World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.

Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili and Dr. Motloheloa Phooko, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, as well as other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

The Lesotho Center of Excellence is the fourth such center jointly built and run by a nation's government and the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI). Major funding for the clinic came from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Secure the Future program.

Other BIPAI clinics already operate in Romania, Swaziland and Botswana. Three more clinics in Africa are in various stages of development in Uganda, Malawi and Burkina Faso.

Why would Baylor support HIV/AIDS clinics in such faraway lands? Peter G. Traber, M.D., president and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine, said he gets asked that question quite often.

"My answer is that our mission is to integrate patient care, research, education, and community service, and our community extends far beyond the city of Houston," said Traber. "Baylor has a responsibility to provide exceptional medical excellence wherever the need is great, and it's certainly great here."

Baylor's world-class pediatrics and infectious disease departments make such commitment to communities possible, added Traber. "We have medical expertise that when partnered with the expertise of government and industry, provides a winning formula for fighting this terrible disease in places like Lesotho."

The need for pediatric HIV/AIDS care is "amazing and sobering," said Mark Kline, M.D., professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, chief of retrovirology at Texas Children's Hospital and president, Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative. "Currently, only about one percent or fewer of HIV-infected children have access to treatment globally, but this new center will supply another 10 pediatricians to treat up to 3,000 HIV-infected children and their families."

The two-story, 14,000 square-foot center sits atop a hill with views of both the valley where Maseru lies and the surrounding mountains, on land donated by the country of Lesotho. The outpatient facility includes 10 examination rooms, procedure rooms, a pharmacy, a small laboratory, and training rooms. The center's staff will use the space to train local healthcare professionals in the special needs of HIV-infected children.

Peter G. Traber, M.D., BCM president and CEO, dances with women from an HIV support group during the dedication ceremonies.

The Lesotho center is modeled after the Botswana-Baylor Children's Center of Excellence in Gaborone, Botswana, which now has more than 1,400 children on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, the largest concentration of HIV-infected children on ARV treatment in any center worldwide.

According to UNICEF, sub-Saharan Africa is home to just over 10 percent of the world's population but more than 85 percent of children under age 15 living with the virus. The vast majority of children who are HIV-positive acquire the virus from their mothers during birth and will die before age 5 without treatment. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in children under 5 in the region.

"This Center of Excellence represents a significant step forward, not only in the care of children with HIV/AIDS, but with our approach to fighting a disease that is threatening entire societies," said Peter Dolan, president and CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb. "This public-private partnership represents a model that we are successfully replicating in other countries."

In addition to its commitment to funding HIV/AIDS infrastructure and care in Africa through the Secure the Future program, Bristol-Myers Squibb also recently reduced the cost of its pediatric HIV/AIDS drugs to adult prices. Adult HIV/AIDS medications are sold at cost to African nations, which means that the more expensive children's formulations are sold at a significant discount.

A Kingdom with Hope

Patient Care

Research

Education

Community Service

Alumni & Development

College News

Volume 2, Issue 1, Spring 2006


	A Kingdom with Hope by Jessica Johns Pool Photography by Smiley N. Pool Lesotho, a tiny independent kingdom within the borders of South Africa, boasts striking natural beauty, a rich history, abundant hospitality and excellent hiking. Less apparent is the HIV/AIDS epidemic rampant among Lesotho's smiling children. An estimated 20,000 children are HIV-positive in Lesotho, a country with a population of 1.8 million, and only three pediatricians to treat all childhood illness and disease. Despite these sobering numbers, Baylor College Medicine, along with partners Bristol-Myers Squibb and the government of Lesotho, recently put forth a ray of hope for the children of Lesotho. The Baylor/Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Clinical Center of Excellence-Lesotho opened on December 1—World AIDS Day. The event was cheered by a crowd of approximately 1,000 local people, dancers and singers, and hosted by the King of Lesotho, Letsie III, in the capital city of Maseru. Dignitaries observe a moment of silence for victims of HIV/AIDS during ceremonies dedicating the Baylor/Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Clinical Center of Excellence-Lesotho in Maseru, Lesotho, World AIDS Day, Dec. 1. Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili and Dr. Motloheloa Phooko, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, as well as other dignitaries attended the ceremony. The Lesotho Center of Excellence is the fourth such center jointly built and run by a nation's government and the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI). Major funding for the clinic came from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Secure the Future program. Other BIPAI clinics already operate in Romania, Swaziland and Botswana. Three more clinics in Africa are in various stages of development in Uganda, Malawi and Burkina Faso. Why would Baylor support HIV/AIDS clinics in such faraway lands? Peter G. Traber, M.D., president and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine, said he gets asked that question quite often. "My answer is that our mission is to integrate patient care, research, education, and community service, and our community extends far beyond the city of Houston," said Traber. "Baylor has a responsibility to provide exceptional medical excellence wherever the need is great, and it's certainly great here." Baylor's world-class pediatrics and infectious disease departments make such commitment to communities possible, added Traber. "We have medical expertise that when partnered with the expertise of government and industry, provides a winning formula for fighting this terrible disease in places like Lesotho." The need for pediatric HIV/AIDS care is "amazing and sobering," said Mark Kline, M.D., professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, chief of retrovirology at Texas Children's Hospital and president, Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative. "Currently, only about one percent or fewer of HIV-infected children have access to treatment globally, but this new center will supply another 10 pediatricians to treat up to 3,000 HIV-infected children and their families." The two-story, 14,000 square-foot center sits atop a hill with views of both the valley where Maseru lies and the surrounding mountains, on land donated by the country of Lesotho. The outpatient facility includes 10 examination rooms, procedure rooms, a pharmacy, a small laboratory, and training rooms. The center's staff will use the space to train local healthcare professionals in the special needs of HIV-infected children. Peter G. Traber, M.D., BCM president and CEO, dances with women from an HIV support group during the dedication ceremonies. The Lesotho center is modeled after the Botswana-Baylor Children's Center of Excellence in Gaborone, Botswana, which now has more than 1,400 children on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, the largest concentration of HIV-infected children on ARV treatment in any center worldwide. According to UNICEF, sub-Saharan Africa is home to just over 10 percent of the world's population but more than 85 percent of children under age 15 living with the virus. The vast majority of children who are HIV-positive acquire the virus from their mothers during birth and will die before age 5 without treatment. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in children under 5 in the region. "This Center of Excellence represents a significant step forward, not only in the care of children with HIV/AIDS, but with our approach to fighting a disease that is threatening entire societies," said Peter Dolan, president and CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb. "This public-private partnership represents a model that we are successfully replicating in other countries." In addition to its commitment to funding HIV/AIDS infrastructure and care in Africa through the Secure the Future program, Bristol-Myers Squibb also recently reduced the cost of its pediatric HIV/AIDS drugs to adult prices. Adult HIV/AIDS medications are sold at cost to African nations, which means that the more expensive children's formulations are sold at a significant discount.		Search all issues: Patient Care The Tiny Faces of AIDS A New Medical School for Botswana A Kingdom with Hope Research Stars and Workhorses: A Varied Future for Stem Cells Just a Gut Reaction Unfolding the Tiniest Problems A Higher Calling Education BCM's Own Mr. Wizard A 'Marriage' with Medicine Community Service Glasses for the Homeless Going Beyond the Borders Alumni & Development From Center to Center The Story Behind the Jewish Building From a One-Room School to Medical Research College News The Bards of Baylor A World of Difference The Lesotho Center of Excellence provides the following services to children and their families: HIV testing and counseling Comprehensive primary and HIV/AIDS specialty care and treatment Support groups for adult caregivers and teens Nutritional counseling Training in HIV/AIDS pediatric treatment for healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and social workers Outreach to villages in rural areas

	Volume 2, Issue 1, Spring 2006



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