Speeches

Presentation of Vehicles to District Hospitals

July 22, 2009

Remarks by Dr. Mohamed Mfaume, Care and Treatment Program Officer, U.S. Centers for Disease Control (As prepared)

It is my great delight to be here with you all today as we come together to present Urambo District Council, Ngorongoro District Hospital and Shinyanga Regional Hospital with keys to these three brand new 2009 Toyota Land Cruisers provided with funding from the American people.

These keys will open more than just car doors, however. They will also open the door to greater care for the thousands of wananchi served by these quality health institutions.

This donation is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and represents our ongoing commitment to strengthening Tanzania’s HIV care and treatment capacity.

PEPFAR funds projects to scale-up care and treatment services throughout Tanzania, with over 80 clinics opened in the last 18 months. But scale up does not stop once the last brick has been laid or after the inaugural ribbon cut.

These vehicles will provide critically needed transportation services to patients living in remote areas. Patients requiring referral services will now have access to care from primary health facilities that were previously too difficult to reach. Additionally, these vehicles will transport medical drugs and equipment and will be vital in the facilitation of home based care as well as cross training activities for health care personnel.

I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). As an implementing partner for PEPFAR and today’s host, EGPAF has done tremendous work in providing comprehensive support for care and treatment programming.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff and administrators of Urambo district council, Ngorongoro district hospital and Shinyanga Regional hospital. It is my honor to present to you these keys and full vehicle ownership. On behalf of the American people, I again thank you for your tireless commitment to improving the health of this country.

We will continue our steadfast work with you and the entire Tanzanian nation to fulfill President Kikwete’s vision of a “Tanzania without AIDS." We believe it is possible. Ahsanteni Sana.