[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64376-64377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26525]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 02099]


Expansion of HIV/AIDS/Tuberculosis Control and HIV/AIDS Care 
Activities in the Republic of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire; Notice of Award of 
Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2002 funds for a cooperative agreement 
with the Ministry of Health (MOH) of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire for the 
expansion of HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Control activities and HIV/AIDS 
Care activities.
    The U.S. government seeks to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in 
specific countries within sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas 
through its Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic (LIFE) 
initiative. Through this LIFE program, CDC has initiated its Global 
AIDS Program (GAP) to strengthen capacity and expand activities in the 
areas of
    (1) HIV primary prevention;
    (2) HIV care, support, and treatment; and
    (3) Capacity and infrastructure development, especially for 
surveillance.
    Targeted countries represent those with the most severe epidemics 
and the highest number of new infections. They also represent countries 
where the potential for impact is greatest and where U.S. government 
agencies are already active. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is one of these 
targeted countries. As a key partner in the U.S. government's LIFE 
Initiative, CDC is working in a collaborative manner with national 
governments and other agencies to develop programs of assistance to 
address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in LIFE initiative countries. In 
particular, CDC's mission in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is to work with 
Ivorian and international partners in discovering and applying 
effective interventions to prevent HIV infection and associated illness 
and death from AIDS.
    C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is the West African country most heavily 
affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. UNAIDS has estimated that about one 
million persons in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire were living with HIV/AIDS in 
2000 with an overall ten percent (10 percent) HIV prevalence in the 
adult population, although, HIV prevalence differs in sub-populations. 
In 2000, from antenatal sentinel serosurveillance, HIV prevalence was 
nine point five percent (9.5 percent) in pregnant women. The prevalence 
of HIV infection remains high in TB patients at about forty-five 
percent (45 percent). These statistics suggest the need for the 
expansion and improvement of a range of surveillance, care, prevention, 
and control activities and services. This agreement will assist the 
Tuberculosis Control Program of the Ministry of Health in screening 
more patients in order to better control the spread of tuberculosis in 
the general population, and in particular in HIV infected persons. At 
the same time, improving the national surveillance system will provide 
essential information for focusing prevention activities, allocating 
resources, and monitoring effectiveness of programs.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided only to the MOH of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. 
No other applications are solicited. The MOH is the only appropriate 
and qualified organization to conduct a specific set of activities 
supportive of the CDC Global AIDS Program's technical assistance to 
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire for the following reasons:
    1. The MOH is uniquely positioned, in terms of legal authority, 
ability, and credibility among Ivorian citizens, to collect crucial 
data on HIV/AIDS as well as to provide care to HIV infected patients.
    2. The MOH in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is mandated by the Ivorian 
government to coordinate activities necessary for the control of 
epidemics, including HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis.
    3. The MOH already has an established network of health care 
facilities throughout C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. They include tuberculosis 
treatment centers, maternal-child health clinics, and HIV/AIDS care 
sites. These facilities are accessible and provide health information 
and care for patients with HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, enabling the 
Ministry to become immediately engaged in the activities listed in this 
announcement.
    4. The MOH has trained physicians, nurses, and social workers 
already

[[Page 64377]]

working in their network of health care facilities around the country 
who can carry out the activities listed in this announcement.

    Note: Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that 
an organization described in section 501 (c)(4) of the International 
Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to 
receive Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $700,000 is available FY 2002 to fund this award.
    It is expected that the award will begin on or about September 30, 
2002, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project 
period of three (3) years. Annual funding estimates may change. 
Continuation awards within an approved project period will be made on 
the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required reports and 
the availability of funds.

Use of Funds

    Funds received from this announcement will not be used for the 
purchase of antiretroviral drugs for treatment of established HIV 
infection (with the exception of nevirapine in the Prevention of 
Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) cases and with prior written 
approval), occupational exposures, and non-occupational exposures and 
will not be used for the purchase of machines and reagents to conduct 
the necessary laboratory monitoring for patient care.
    Applicants may contract with other organizations under these 
cooperative agreements, however, applicants must perform a substantial 
portion of the activities (including program management and operations 
and delivery of prevention services for which funds are requested).
    The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic 
organizations are likewise allowable to foreign institutions and 
international organizations.
    All requests for funds, including the budget contained in the 
application, shall be stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, 
the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will not compensate 
foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the 
issuance of supplemental awards.
    No funds appropriated under this Act shall be used to carry out any 
program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic 
injection of any illegal drug.

D. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    To obtain business management technical assistance, contact: 
Cynthia Collins, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-15, Atlanta, GA 30333. 
Telephone number: (770) 488-2757. E-Mail: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Karen Ryder, MPH, CDC/
HIV, 2010 Abidjan Place, Dulles, VA 20189-2010. Telephone: (404) 639-
0911. E-Mail: [email protected].

    Dated: October 9, 2002.
Edward J. Schultz,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-26525 Filed 10-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P