Abbott pledges $12m in paediatric HIV/Aids fight

Abbott and Abbott Fund have announced an expansion if their efforts to broaden access of treatments for HIV and Aids to children worldwide.

These plans include further investments of $12 million (5.8 million pounds) in product donations and grants during 2007, with the aim of establishing connections between prevention, testing and treatment for pregnant women and children with the aim of the closing existing gaps in paediatric HIV care.

New initiatives to be launched by Abbott and Abbott Fund this year include efforts in Tanzania to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the provision of care to families, in addition to the provision of counselling and care in Kenya and the broadening of access to care in Kenya.

Mark Kline, president of the Baylor College of Medicine International Paediatric Aids Initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital, said: “Abbott Fund began providing support for the care and treatment of HIV-infected children in resource-poor settings even before it was widely accepted by many experts.”

He added that, as a result of the support from the fund, society is at a the “dawn of a new era” in increasing hope for children in Africa and worldwide with HIV and Aids.

Last month, Abbott announced that it would work together with the government of Tanzania to modernise local hospital laboratory equipment, with the donation of one million rapid diagnostic tests for HIV.