U.S. Ambassador Visits Ssese, Masaka, Rakai and Mpigi

U.S. Ambassador Steven A. Browning travels this week to the Ssese Islands, Masaka, Rakai and Mpigi, where he will be meeting with officials and local community representatives, and visiting U.S. government education, health and research projects, as well as an agribusiness venture.  This trip (October 30-November 1) is the sixth in a series of travel Ambassador Browning is undertaking in order to familiarize himself with various regions of Uganda.
 
In the Ssese Islands, the Ambassador will visit the Kibanga Coordinating Center, near Kalangala, where a Peace Corps Primary Education Teacher Training Volunteer is providing support to primary teachers and assisting with PIASCY (the Presidential Initiative on AIDS Strategy for Communicating to Youth) programming.  Also in Kalangala, Ambassador Browning will receive a tour of the Bidco Uganda Ltd. palm oil project. 

In Masaka, Ambassador Browning will meet with American citizens and local political leaders.  His wife, Mrs. Susan Browning, will be visiting a local primary school to interact with faculty and students, and to encourage young readers.   

The Ambassador will travel to Lwanda, Rakai District to see the reproductive health activities of the Rakai AIDS Information Network (RAIN), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  RAIN works in partnership with the district health system, implementing reproductive health activities in Kabula and Kooki counties.  Ambassador Browning will have the opportunity to observe dramatic shows used by RAIN to raise awareness of family planning, safe delivery, antenatal and postnatal services.

In Rakai District, the Ambassador will also visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health/Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP).  The RHSP research center was initiated in 1988 with the primary aim of understanding the HIV/AIDS epidemic through research and community participation.  In 2002, RHSP was chosen to become a U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) collaborating International Center for Excellence in Research.  RHSP activities include HIV/AIDS research and evaluation in the community; laboratory and clinical research; randomized trials of new prevention strategies; health professional training; and expanded community services, including HIV voluntary testing and counseling and provision of HIV anti-retroviral therapy.  Ambassador Browning will tour the NIH/RHSP facilities and meet with program staff.  In addition, he will visit a mobile clinic in Kakuto, funded by President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, where he will meet with medical staff, clients and peer educators.

While in Rakai, Ambassador Browning will also visit Kalisizo Hospital to learn more about its Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services, supported by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and USAID.  Ambassador Browning will tour Kalisizo’s antenatal clinic and hear about counseling and testing activities as well as linkage to care, treatment and family support groups.

Before returning to Kampala, the Ambassador will make a final stop at Kammengo Home Care Association near Mpigi, where a Peace Corps Health Volunteer is working to support people living with HIV/AIDS through income generation projects involving the development of craft making.
    
For further information, please contact Alyson Grunder, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy (Tel: 41-259-791, ext. 6310) or email: grunderal@state.gov.