Press Release: President Clinton Visits Pakistan on behalf of HIV/AIDS Initiative

Pakistan will gain access to the Clinton Foundation’s low prices for AIDS medication.

President Bill Clinton visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on behalf of his Foundation’s HIV/AIDS Initiative today. During his visit to Islamabad, he met with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed Pakistan’s fight against HIV/AIDS.

President Clinton and Prime Minister Aziz signed and Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan and the Clinton Foundation, which enables Pakistan to purchase antiretrovirals and diagnostics at greatly reduced prices that the Clinton Foundation has negotiated. Pakistan is the 52nd country with access to these prices. Roughly a quarter million AIDS patients worldwide are receiving drugs purchase under these agreements.

Speaking in Islamabad, President Clinton said, “I applaud the Government of Pakistan for confronting the AIDS epidemic in their country while overall prevalence is still relatively low. Pakistan is at a critical point in the spread of HIV/AIDS, and with decisive action and strong political will, Pakistan can be a model for countries around the world in how to halt the spread of the disease.”

Pakistan is considered a low-prevalence, but high risk country by UNAIDS and the epidemic is beginning to spread more quickly among high-risk sectors of the population. Under the direction of the Minister for Health, Muhammad Nasir Khan, Pakistan has made taken decisive action toward implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Framework.

President Clinton also spoke with President Musharaff and expressed his condolences for the victims of the tragic earthquake that struck Pakistan in October 2005 and emphasized the role that the international community has to play in rebuilding the destroyed areas.

President Clinton traveled to Pakistan on his way to India, where he will visit an ARV drug manufacturing plant and meet with Indian government officials to discuss the Clinton Foundation’s work on HIV/AIDS in India.

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