Building on the public-private-partnership that established the first pediatric HIV treatment center on the African continent in 2003, the Republic of Botswana Ministry of Health and Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence Trust (Botswana Baylor Trust) signed a Memorandum of Understanding Aug. 25 in Gaborone, Botswana, to extend their partnership. The agreement ensures that children and adolescents in Botswana fighting HIV/AIDS or cancer continue to receive high-quality care, health professionals and other caregivers receive training and education, and the outcomes of this successful public-private-partnership are shared for the benefit of children and adolescents everywhere.
"This blended memorandum of agreement establishes the framework for an expanded partnership with the Ministry of Health that will position Botswana to excel and propel the health sector in education, research, training and clinical services," said Michael B. Mizwa, chair, Botswana-Baylor Trust, and director, Texas Children's Global Health, and CEO, Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children's Hospital (BIPAI).
Botswana recently became the first country with severe HIV epidemic to reach key milestones in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission, according to the World Health Organization.
"This new agreement builds on nearly 20 years of successful outcomes in locally driven care and treatment, capacity building and research that has helped put Botswana on the world stage as a beacon of success in delivering effective healthcare using public-private partnership model. We are honored to see this relationship with the Ministry of Health and Government of Botswana grow and provide a comprehensive menu of services for our people," said Professor Mogomotsi Matshaba, executive director, Botswana-Baylor Trust, and Presidential COVID-19 Task Force national coordinator.
The Botswana-Baylor Trust partners with Texas Children's Global Health Network and Baylor College of Medicine to provide free-of-charge, state-of-the-art pediatric HIV, oncology and blood disorder care, treatment and support to children, adolescents and their families at the main clinic in Gaborone and through decentralized outreach services across the country. Botswana-Baylor Trust is a leader in the field of pediatric HIV and cancer care in Botswana, the Southern Africa region, and beyond.
