JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (July 6, 2000) -- Five countries in the sub-Saharan region are to receive 17 SECURE THE FUTURE™ grants of more than US$7.5 million (R45 million), to support medical research and community outreach and education projects aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. This brings the total SECURE THE FUTURE commitment to more than US$31.5 million (R189 million) since the programÆs inception in May 1999.

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 psycho-social aspects of HIV/AIDS. SECURE THE FUTURE also encourages and funds capacity-building educational programs in medicine, healthcare and public health.

Announcing the latest grants in Johannesburg today, Kenneth E. Weg, vice chairman, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, said that it was intended that they would make a significant difference in the battle against the AIDS pandemic in the region.

"The projects were selected in partnership with governments in the five countries and with the outstanding support of advisory board members who are leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. They represent pioneering models 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," Mr. Weg said.

The approved Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Community Outreach and Education grants are:

• A community-based HIV/AIDS home care project in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, which was submitted by Partners in Care (a consortium of non-government organizations (NGOs)/community-based organizations (CBOs), provincial government and business stakeholders), which will benefit women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, through mobilizing their communities, especially young people, to care for them. SECURE THE FUTURE's funding is US$283,400 (R1.7 million).

• A community-based parish nursing project benefiting women of child-bearing age in Swaziland, which was submitted by Maternal Life International and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manzini. The project will be run in 25 Swaziland communities. SECURE THE FUTURE's funding is US$272,900 (R1.64 million).

• A capacity-building project for HIV/AIDS NGOs and CBOs in Swaziland, submitted by the Swaziland Institute of Management and Public Administration, which will assist in providing the necessary skills to successfully run and manage their organizations. SECURE THE FUTURE's funding is US$121,300 (R727,800).

• A Western Cape project which focuses on elderly women as caregivers, researching ways to assist this group who are often the only ones caring for infected children and grandchildren. The project will be run by the HSRC/UCT Centre for Gerontology in partnership with the Red Cross, Ikamva Labantu and Neighbourhood Old Age Homes. SECURE THE FUTURE's funding is (US$21,200, R127,200).

• A project which will pilot and establish counseling services for people infected with and affected by HIV, in Owamboland in Namibia, with outreach to five surrounding regions. The project, submitted by Lifeline/Childline Namibia, will be funded jointly by the Catholic Medical Mission Board (US$25,000, R150,000) and SECURE THE FUTURE (US$32,400, R194,400).

• A research project in the Western Cape, South Africa, exploring the effect of play therapy between mothers/caregivers, and HIV-positive children, submitted by the University of Cape Town Department of Occupational Therapy. SECURE THE FUTURE's funding is US$32,200 (R193,200).

• A project which will develop, research and pilot a "total onslaught" peer education approach in HIV/AIDS community mobilization. The project, submitted by Stellenbosch AIDS Action, will be run in the Stellenbosch area and will be co-funded by insurance giant Old Mutual (US$25,500; R153,000). . SECURE THE FUTURE is US$216,100 (R1.3 million).

• A project that will research models of caring for and providing income-generating opportunities for HIV/AIDS infected and affected people. Submitted by the Sungarden Hospice, Tateni and Hospivision consortium, the project will be run in the South African provinces of Gauteng and North-West (US$258,300; R1.6 million).

  The approved research grants are:

• A project submitted by the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town and Yale University, to assess acceptability amongst women in Khayelitsha, Western Cape, of intervention programmes to reduce mother-to-child-transmission of HIV/AIDS (US$6,100; R37,000).

• A seminal study submitted by the SA National Institute of Virology to research the effects of short-course antiretroviral treatment to prevent perinatal transmission between HIV-positive women and their babies. The study will be undertaken at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in South Africa (US$123,000, R738,000).

• A major research project amongst health care workers to be run in all five countries, with the aim of developing a dedicated, comprehensive pediatric HIV nursing education and training program. The project will be run by the U.S.-based Baylor College of Medicine as part of its international AIDS initiative (US$325,000, R1.95 million).

• A study conducted by the University of Cape Town to determine exact dosages required of the drug cotrimoxazole in the prevention of pneumonia and other infections in children (US$7,000, R42,000).

• A study to be conducted by the University of Natal to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the drug TMP-SMZ (trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole) in preventing infant deaths through infection in a primary care setting in a developing country (US$25,300, R152,000).

• A pilot study by the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, examining the effects of different long-term therapies in HIV-infected infants and children in order to determine the best treatment programs. This program entitled God Bless the Child is in partnership with the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC), 30 different communities of faith from across the U.S., the Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Children's hospital. Through God Bless the Child, each faith may adopt a child for US$1,000, which will then provide financial assistance in addition to the professional care received from the Princess Marina Hospital. Bristol Myers Squibb is funding this program to the value of US$5 million (R30 million).

• A study conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa aimed at improving the management of HIV by reducing the cost of patient monitoring (US$10,000, R60,000).

• A project by the Baylor College of Medicine conducted at the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, to ascertain whether infants with HIV-infected mothers benefit from increased nucleotide supplementation in their formula (US$67,000, R402,000).

• A study to assess the role of post-exposure prophylaxis in reducing mother to child transmission of HIV in infants born without access to antiretroviral therapy. The study will compare the efficacy of nevaripine and zidovudine when administered after birth. The study will be conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand at the Chris Hani Baragwanath and Coronation hospitals in South Africa (US$700,000, R4.2 million).

  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is a $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 for Bristol-Myers Squibb, 082-856-0242.