My first involvement with PEPFAR was in 2004 while on the medical faculty at Johns Hopkins. I provided technical assistance in pediatric HIV and mother-to-child transmission as part of the Hopkins / PEPFAR program in Ethiopia. I have been fortunate to work with great colleagues on many teams to make some really good things happen throughout my experience in PEPFAR.
One of the most memorable was helping lead PEPFAR’s role in the Vatican consortium that recharged commitments to advance progress in pediatric HIV diagnosis and treatment. More recently, I am proud to be a part of an interagency group that helped PEPFAR collaboratively guide programs to adapt and safely deliver HIV services through the COVID-19 pandemic.
PEPFAR’s role in launching and scaling HIV treatment across the world has been astonishing. In my early days at PEPFAR, there was debate about whether it was appropriate to make ART available in LMICs! Now, with major advocacy, funding and strategic technical support from PEPFAR, HIV treatment globally is increasingly available, effective, safe, tolerable, convenient, and affordable.
Overall, PEPFAR's role in launching and scaling HIV treatment across the world has been astonishing, and HIV treatment is increasingly available, effective, safe, tolerable, convenient, and affordable. This has set the stage for PEPFAR's next phase to reach the global goal of ending the threat of HIV.
George Siberry is a Medical Officer and Senior Technical Advisor for HIV Treatment at USAID's Office of HIV/AIDS
