PR37/06
January 9, 2006

REP. JIM KOLBE LEADS U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IN UGANDA

Press availability at Lacor hospital, Gulu on January 10, at 4:00 pm

The Honorable Jim Kolbe of the U.S. House of Representatives is leading a delegation in Uganda from January 8-12 to meet with political and civil society leaders, visit USG-funded development, HIV-AIDS and malaria projects, as well as travel to northern Uganda (Gulu) and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Bunia).  Other members of the delegation include Representatives Betty McCollum and Denny Rehberg. 

On Tuesday, January 10, the Congressional delegation is scheduled to visit Gulu’s Lacor Hospital, where they will meet with patients and participate in the distribution of insecticide treated nets to pregnant women and people living with HIV-AIDS.  The mosquito net distribution is part of the U.S. Presidential Malarial Initiative under which Uganda will be receiving $9.5 million this year to fight the disease.  The delegation will be available to the press for a photo opportunity at 4:00 PM during the mosquito net donation.  Journalists interested in covering this event should contact US AID Communications Officer Kim Burns (077-221-660).

For biographic information on Representatives Kolbe, McCollum and Rehberg, please visit: http://www.house.gov/

For further information on the U.S. Presidential Malarial Initiative, please visit:  http://www.fightingmalaria.gov/