Following Abbot laboratories to withdraw the registration of its life-saving AIDS drug Kaletra^® (marketed as Aluvia) and six other essential medicines in Thailand, April 26th 2007 was marked as the Global day of Action against Abbot Laboratories. To add its voice to the many around the world who strongly oppose Abbot’s actions, EPN in conjunction with Health Action International (HAI) – Africa, wrote an open letter to Abbot Shareholders expressing displeasure on this decision and requesting them to urge the company to rescind its decision. The letter was sent to the shareholders on the eve of their annual general meeting scheduled for April 27th 2007.

A feedback meeting was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 17th–19th July 2005, as part of work to increase the capacity of church leaders and church-related health services to respond to the massive challenge of HIV/AIDS treatment. The results of research undertaken in Burkina Faso in June 2005 to identify starting points was fed back to a group of 45 people from churches, church health services, NGOs, and government organisations.

Executive summary of starting point analysis research in Burkina Faso

This report presents the summary of the findings and the recommendations resulting from the starting point analysis research carried out in Burkina Faso in June 2005. Work included a desk review, 10 focus groups, and 26 key informant interviews. Locations included: Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, and Yako.

A feedback meeting was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 15th–17th February 2005, as part of work to increase the capacity of church leaders and church-related health services to respond to the massive challenge of HIV/AIDS treatment. The results of research undertaken in Rwanda in June/July 2004 to identify starting points was fed back to a group of 34 people from churches, church health services, NGOs, and government organisations.

A feedback meeting was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 9th–11th February 2005, as part of work to increase the capacity of church leaders and church-related health services to respond to the massive challenge of HIV/AIDS treatment. The results of research undertaken in Kenya in May 2004 to identify starting points was fed back to a group of 42 people from churches, church health services, NGOs, and government organisations.

Executive summary of starting point analysis research in Rwanda

This report presents the summary of the findings and the recommendations resulting from the starting point analysis research carried out in Rwanda in June–July 2004. Work included a desk review, 10 focus groups, 9 priority interviews, and 9 open-ended interviews. Locations included: Kigali, Ruhengeri, Kibungo, Rutongo, and Gitarama.

The All Africa Conference of Churches convened an HIV/AIDS Summit for Heads of African Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, from 7th–10th June 2004. EPN was invited to survey the attendees (100 church leaders from 39 African countries) regarding their knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS, and the approaches of their churches to HIV/AIDS and its treatment.

Executive summary of starting point analysis research in Kenya

This report presents the summary of the findings and the recommendations resulting from the starting point analysis research carried out in Kenya in May 2004. Work included a desk review, 12 focus groups, 21 priority interviews, and 23 open-ended interviews. Locations included: Nairobi (inner urban and outer rural areas), Kitui, and Maua.

From the original programme design paper, several activities were identified as the focus of the first phase, the starting point analysis project.

Developing the starting point analysis project manual

This included the development and testing of key methodologies and tools so that a manual could be developed that allows efficient and effective ‘roll out’ of the EPN HIV programme in other countries. The manual has been fully tested in Kenya, Rwanda, and Burkina Faso.