Mukinge Hospital now gives anti-AIDS drugs free of charge, thanks to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Hospitals in at least seven other countries across Africa are also receiving PEPFAR funds. But there’s a problem. The HIV positive people who receive the drugs must take them for the rest of their lives. And donor agencies, no matter how benevolent, like to fund projects that have an ending point. So the U.S. government is trying to discover how these hospitals can develop the capacity to sustain their own programs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and USAID decided to seek answers by working with our consortium, AIDS Relief, and they looked for a pilot hospital. We didn’t even know such a project was in the works. Imagine our surprise when we, out of all the AIDS Relief sites in Africa, were selected.

Why Mukinge?

Zambia’s infection rate is one of the worst in Africa, and Mukinge has been actively involved for 15 years in the fight against AIDS through our community outreaches and health services. Moreover, our written care and treatment plan, submitted in our application for funds, influenced their choice of Mukinge for the sustainability study. Being a pilot site will give us access to expert consultants. The problems we encounter and the solutions we identify will ultimately be shared with other sites. This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the global fight against AIDS. Please pray that as we continue to move forward in this work, we will remain effective in our witness and faithful as ambassadors of our loving Savior.