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Corporate Social Responsibility
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4.08.2004 ET
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Mortality Rate for Romanian Children With HIV in Constanta Drops Significantly; Hundreds Receive Care and Treatment at Children's Center
Baylor Pediatricians, U.S. Ambassador, Public Health Official and Healthcare CEO Discuss Center Results, Challenges and Lessons Learned
(CSRwire) HOUSTON, USA and CONSTANTA, ROMANIA - Hundreds of Romanian children
infected with HIV through unsafe medical practices in the 1980s and early
1990s are now receiving high-quality care and antiretroviral (ARV)
treatment at the Romanian-American Children's Center (Centrul de Copii
Romano-American), a comprehensive pediatric HIV/AIDS program established
in 2001 by Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, the
Infectious Diseases Hospital in Constanta and the Romanian Ministry of
Health. With funding from the Abbott Laboratories Fund''s Step Forward
program and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the Center,
which opened three years ago today, provides care for nearly 900 children
in the day clinic and community, including more than 450 who are receiving
ARV treatment. The Center serves as a model in Baylor's efforts to
establish other pediatric HIV/AIDS centers.
Gathering today in Constanta are Dr. Mark Kline, director of Baylor's
International Pediatric AIDS Initiative; Dr. Rodica Matusa, director of
the Romanian-American Children's Center; directors of Pediatric AIDS
Centers in Botswana and Mexico; Michael Guest, U.S. ambassador to Romania;
Dr. Camelia Ciobotaru, director of the public health authority for
Constanta county; Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer of
Abbott Laboratories; local dignitaries; pediatric HIV/AIDS specialists;
and public health professionals. They will dedicate the renovated
children's ward at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, recognize results
achieved and discuss lessons learned from the Romanian-American Children's
Center.
"In just three years, the Center has decreased the mortality rate of
children living with HIV/AIDS in Constanta from 15 percent to 3 percent,
proving that it is possible to provide first-rate pediatric care and
treatment in a resource-limited setting,'' said Dr. Mark Kline, director
of Baylor's International Pediatric AIDS Initiative. "The average CD4
count, which indicates the health of a patient's immune system, has
increased significantly, and children who were near death a few years ago
are now leading active lives. While many challenges remain, we are
confident the success of the Romanian center can be replicated. The
Center provides high-quality medical services, acts as a stigma-free
meeting place for children with HIV/AIDS and is the headquarters for
psychosocial and home-based services.
Impact on Pediatric HIV/AIDS
In addition to the Center, with the Step Forward program's support, the
following has been achieved since 2001:
Renovation of the children's ward at the Infectious Diseases Hospital
in Constanta, which has improved infrastructure and quality of care for all
children served at the hospital
Training of 240 medical professionals on voluntary counseling and
testing (VCT) and HIV/AIDS care, including development of training
programs for Romanian medical students
Establishment and staffing of "Flower House," a family-style group
home for 10 HIV-positive children who were either orphaned or abandoned
Launch of countrywide voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for
institutionalized children, using 50,000 rapid HIV tests donated by Abbott
Laboratories
Replicating the Model
The Romanian-American Children's Center is the first of Baylor's
four-clinic pediatric HIV/AIDS network. Dr. Kline has brought together the
directors from Baylor clinics in Botswana and Mexico to meet counterparts
in Constanta for a weeklong workshop to share key learnings and to discuss
plans for expansion.
"The greatest result anyone could ask for has been achieved: the lives of
children have been transformed," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief
executive officer of Abbott Laboratories. "Children with HIV/AIDS are not
only surviving but also thriving. Children living with HIV in Romania are
now thinking about the future in new ways. Beyond surviving the next few
months, they are thinking about college and what they want to be when they
grow up. This model, developed in Romania, needs to be replicated around
the world so that thousands of other children can benefit and have hope
for the future."
In addition to providing funding for the Center and related programs,
Abbott is donating its HIV/AIDS protease inhibitors to treat up to 500
children for life.
Improving HIV/AIDS Care
"Initiatives like the Romanian-American Children's Center are paving the
way toward a broader understanding of how public and private officials can
cooperate to improve the lives of Romanian citizens," Ambassador Guest
said. "The Center clearly raises the standard of care for Romanian
children with HIV/AIDS and a range of stakeholders -- healthcare
officials, doctors, pharmaceutical representatives, NGOs and patients --
must continue this progress and find the best solutions for Romania."
"We attribute the success of the Romanian center to a variety of factors,
including a trained staff, highly motivated children and caregivers, a
careful attention to factors influencing medication adherence, and a
commitment to truly comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and treatment," said Dr.
Rodica Matusa, director, Romanian-American Children's Center.
Establishing additional centers and sharing best practices with other
medical institutions will be key to demystifying the care and treatment of
HIV-positive children in resource-constrained settings and to enhancing
access to modern HIV/AIDS therapies. Under Dr. Kline's leadership, Baylor
is establishing the Children's Clinical Centers of Excellence Network to
build essential infrastructure and capacity and to promote acquisition of
knowledge that will enhance HIV/AIDS care and treatment globally.
The mission of the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative is to
promote health for all people through education, research and public
service. Our mission is pursued by providing comprehensive medical and
social services to HIV-positive and HIV-exposed infants and children, by
sustaining excellence in educating U.S. and foreign health professionals,
and by advancing clinical research. Our mission currently encompasses
programs in Houston, Romania, Mexico and Southern Africa. For more
information, please visit www.bayloraids.org.
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