U.S. Senators Visit ICAP-Supported Site in Rwanda

On May 30, U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Bob Corker (R-TN) visited
ICAP-supported Kicukiro Health Center in Kigali, Rwanda. In a tour of the
facility with ICAP-Rwanda Country Director Ruben Sahabo, MD, and officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the senators
met with health care providers, members of an HIV support group, and
children living with HIV, including 15-year old William Ntambara who has
been on HIV treatment his entire life.

In remarks during the visit, Corker said,  ³You are doing a great job.²

Since 2002, ICAP has been supporting Kicukiro Health Center, which provides
comprehensive HIV services, including antiretroviral therapy, prevention of
mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and peer education and counseling
groups. ICAP activities at the site include clinical training and supportive
supervision, as well as support for facility improvements. The facility was
one of the initial sites supported by ICAP¹s MTCT-Plus Initiative, a
multicountry family-centered program. Kicukiro Health Center is also one of
Rwanda¹s Model Centers of Excellence for HIV/tuberculosis integration. As of
March, the health center provided HIV care to 3,253 people, including
antiretroviral therapy for 1,935 individuals.

The senators¹ visit to Rwanda was part of a four-country Africa tour to
assess outcomes of U.S. foreign aid.

Columbia Joins the Research Means Hope Campaign

Columbia University Medical Center has joined the Research Means Hope (RMH) Campaign, a nationwide effort to increase interest in and support for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).   Using radio and print advertising as well as new media like twitter and facebook, the goal of the RMH campaign is to spur constituents in several key Congressional districts to contact their Senators and Member of Congress and urge them to support increased funding for the NIH.

RMH is lead by the Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, and Johns Hopkins University and has over forty members from across the country.  For more information on the RMH campaign and to weigh in to support the NIH, please visit the RMH website at www.researchmeanshope.org.

New Dental Clinic at the Stitt Complex

Councilman Jackson, Dean Goldman, Assemblyman Farrell, Dean Lamster, Community Leader Maria Luna, and Councilman Martinez Open the New Dental Clinic at the

Stitt Complex

On May 22nd, Columbia University Medical Center Executive Vice President and Dean Lee Goldman and College of Dental Medicine Dean Ira Lamster cut the ribbon on a new dental clinic at Middle Schools 326 and 328, the Edward Stitt Complex.  The state of the art facility will provide oral health care services to students at both schools, enabling to be healthier and learn better.  The renovation was funded largely by a grant from New York State and made possible by Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, who attended the Stitt school when growing up in the neighborhood.  Dean Lamster presented Assemblyman Farrell with a plaque recognizing the Assemblyman’s strong support of oral health care.  City Council Persons Robert Jackson and Miguel Martinez also attended and spoke at the event, as did the principals of the two schools.

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