Submitted by: Anil Soni, CEO, Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative

In front of a packed convention center hall, President Clinton addressed the 2008 International AIDS Conference yesterday with the theme that to effectively take on the scourge of HIV/AIDS we cannot just fight the disease, but we must strengthen national health systems in places where AIDS has hit the hardest. He encouraged the international and donor communities to work with countries to build up their health infrastructures. Drawing from examples of places visited this week and the people he met, the former president stressed the importance of community health workers in Rwanda which has even begun a nation-wide system of rural health care delivery, one of the reasons why Jean-Pierre—the 15-year-old HIV-positive patient we met on our trip—was still alive and doing well. In Ethiopia, the first priority the government set was to train hospital managers and build clinics.

The clamor of applause President Clinton received was the perfect ending to a trip that brought us through four countries, introduced us to amazing people, and reminded all of us of what challenges we’re up against in Africa and around the world. We all have a stake in this fight – not just the people in the rural health care centers or government officials or even the Foundation staff on the ground. As President Clinton says often, all of us can give something to improve the lives of others. And while we know that a six-day tour isn’t enough to make the changes we need to make, we have more resolve than ever to continue our work and build on this momentum.

Excerpts from President Clinton’s Speech:

Watch Full Speech the World AIDS conference in Mexico City.

President Clinton speaks at the World AIDS Conference, Meixco City (Photo by: Barbara Kinney, Clinton Foundation)