OF NOTE THIS WEEK

The Washington Post reports that as part of PEPFAR's new five-year plan, the Obama administration hopes to begin handing off day-to-day management of AIDS prevention and treatment programs to the 15 countries where the program operates and to make the services a routine part of each nation's health offerings. Under a strategy described in documents released Monday, the countries' health ministries would assume the task of delivering services -- which many already do -- as well as managing all the programs and measuring their effect. The transition will require teaching supply-chain management, logistics, service coordination, program evaluation and other skills while continuing to provide AIDS services.

NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DONORS

• U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Eric Goosby speak at a White House event for World AIDS Day
• The World Bank posts video of its World AIDS Day panel discussion
• PEPFAR announces $120 million in bridge funding as South Africa launches an expanded treatment effort

OTHER NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Funding fears overshadow progress (Financial Times)
• Obama is Criticized on AIDS Program (The New York Times)
• U.S. Seeking to Hand Off Oversight of AIDS Program (Wash. Post)
• PEPFAR Unveils New Strategy, But More Funds Needed (IRIN/PlusNews)
• Disparities in Health Funding: How Interventions Are Failing the Poor (Aidsmap)
• Uganda Debates Proposal on Death Penalty for Gays (AP)
• Africa: Hospital-Acquired HIV Underestimated (IRIN/PlusNews)
• Integrated Health Systems Boost the Fight against HIV (IRIN/PlusNews)
• Editorial: A Changing Fight against AIDS (Boston Globe)
• Smart Investments in AIDS and Global Health: Building on What Works (amfAR)
• Reversing the AIDS Epidemic through Third-Generation Health Systems: A Call to Action (MSH)

RECENT CGD HEALTH POLICY BLOGS

• Staging PEPFAR 2, Act I: Establishing a Policy Framework By Nandini Oomman, Christina Droggitis and David Wendt
• How Will PEPFAR Reach 4 Million AIDS Patients on Treatment by 2014: Expanded Access or Earlier Recruitment? Millions of Years of Life Hang in the Balance By Mead Over

HIV/AIDS MONITOR RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY IMPACT

• The HIV/AIDS Monitor has been tracking the policy changes among PEPFAR, the Global Fund and the World Bank MAP related to the recommendations that have come out of our research. Explore these changes using our interactive flash tool.