• Health Care Workers In Five Countries To Be Trained In The Diagnosis And Management Of Oral Manifestations Of HIV
• SECURE THE FUTURE’s Total Commitment Reaches 34 Grants Approaching US$43 Million (R301 Million)

STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA (November 7, 2000) The Stellenbosch University Department of Community Dentistry has received a grant of US$355,000 (R2,5 million) over five years to train oral health care personnel in the identification, diagnosis and management of oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS, from SECURE THE FUTURE™.

SECURE THE FUTURE is the US$100 million commitment by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to assist women and children infected and affected with HIV/AIDS in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. The program provides grants for medical research and community outreach and education focusing on the psychosocial aspects of HIV/AIDS. SECURE THE FUTURE also encourages and funds capacity-building educational programs in medicine, health care and public health.

Project leader at Stellenbosch University Department of Community Dentistry, Dr Sudeshni Naidoo, said: "There is no doubt that oral health care personnel can make a significant contribution in the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

"With the relevant training, health care workers in Africa can be encouraged to identify, diagnose, collect data and explore appropriate management strategies. Oral HIV research, knowledge and management could then become widely available in the future."

Announcing the grant, Dr. Ashraf Grimwood, Medical Director, SECURE THE FUTURE stated: "More than 70 percent of people with HIV present with oral manifestations of the disease, yet health care workers often fail to diagnose and manage these opportunistic diseases appropriately. With relevant training early diagnosis can be easily made, and patients timeously referred.

"The grant will initially be used to train oral health care personnel, but will be expanded to include other categories of health care personnel at a later stage. In addition resource material such as posters, pamphlets and brochures will be developed to support and expand this program.

"The project was approved by the technical advisory committee of SECURE THE FUTURE, in partnership with the South African government, because it is a pioneering model which will help answer critical questions in the community and in the clinic about how best to allocate resources and services to those infected and affected by the pandemic," he said.

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

Visit Bristol-Myers Squibb at www.bms.com

For more information, contact: Viccy Baker, 082-856-0242