PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (May 17, 2000) -- Kenneth Weg, vice chairman, Bristol-Myers Squibb, will be awarded an honorary doctorate at the May 18^th graduation ceremony of the Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) in Pretoria, South Africa, for his commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. The honorary doctorate recognizes Mr. Weg�s pivotal role in the inception of Bristol-Myers Squibb�s SECURE THE FUTURE™ initiative, a $100 million commitment to provide care and support for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. The program, the largest corporate commitment of its kind to support HIV/AIDS, is designed to help find relevant, practical, cost-effective and sustainable solutions for HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa.

"Kenneth Weg was one of the first pharmaceutical executives to acknowledge the severity of HIV/AIDS in Africa�s sub-Saharan region, and to use his resources to help strike at the disease at a local level," said Dr. Allen Herman, Dean, National School of Public Health, Medical University of South Africa. "It is fitting and appropriate that MEDUNSA recognize his historic and pioneering contribution to building public-private partnerships."

With schools of medicine, dentistry, basic sciences, pharmacy and public health, Pretoria-based MEDUNSA is the largest health sciences academic institution in Africa. MEDUNSA's mission is to empower the educationally disadvantaged community of southern Africa by providing excellent community-oriented tertiary education, training and research in health and related sciences, and to promote services at all levels of health care in the community.

"I am honored to accept this award, but it is ultimately organizations like MEDUNSA and the efforts of Bristol-Myers Squibb�s innovative researchers and dedicated employees, that have helped extend and enhance the lives of people affected and infected with HIV in southern Africa," explained Kenneth Weg.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is a $20 billion diversified, global health and personal care company whose mission is to extend and enhance human life.

The Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA), founded in 1976, is the largest health sciences academic center on the African continent. As a leading force behind health reform In South Africa, MEDUNSA has graduated 60 percent of all black doctors and dentists practicing in South Africa. MEDUNSA has a student body of 4000 health professionals and is a leader in providing fundamental primary health care to the rural and underserved people of South Africa.

Visit Bristol-Myers Squibb at www.bms.com.

For more information, contact: Laurie Miller for SECURE THE FUTURE, 212-601-8359