NEW YORK, United States, December 18, 2005. At the Batey Relief Alliance’s annual benefit concert held in Philadelphia on September 10, 2005, President Clinton made an emotional plea to the audience to support the humanitarian work of the organization. Click HERE to view the video message.
The BRA commenced this year a bona fide partnership with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative with a generous grant of $50,000 toward the installation of the organization’s medical center complex located at batey Cinco Casas in the Monte Plata province – the first of its kind in any batey of the Dominican Republic. The center, to be inaugurated early next year, will be used to implement a comprehensive HIV/AIDS education, prevention and [Antiretroviral (ARV)] treatment program inside 20 bateyes – a population considered responsible for 5% of the Dominican Republic’s HIV/AIDS cases comparing to the national rate at only 1%. The project is funded by USAID through the Family Health International Project CONECTA.The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative plays an important role in the HIV/AIDS project by securing the support of the Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health to contribute health experts to train local health professionals in HIV education, prevention and treatment techniques. More importantly, the Initiative helped secure the commitment of the Dominican’s Ministry of Health (SESPAS) and its HIV/AIDS service branch, the DIGECTISS, to train BRA’s health providers in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and to install at BRA’s medical center an HIV/AIDS Treatment Unit to deliver ARV therapy to AIDS sufferers.
At full capacity, the project will provide care to 1,700 people: 100 pregnant women, 200 people living with HIV/AIDS, 1,000 children, orphans and vulnerable individuals, and 400 affected individuals living with HIV patients.
“The project is crucial as it addresses the critical health needs of the Dominican Republic’s most vulnerable population — batey residents,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO. The organization appeals for more funding to hire six health care providers and to purchase one 4×4 vehicle to find and transport people infected with the virus to BRA’s center for treatment.
Please contact Ulrick Gaillard at bra@bateyrelief.org or (917) 627-5026 about how you can help.
Courtesy photo of the Clinton Foundation.
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