[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 90 (Monday, May 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25909-25910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10532]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 04181]


Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Improving 
Access to Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Care for Mother, Family Members, and 
Other Patients in the Republic of Namibia; Notice of Intent To Fund 
Single Eligibility Award

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
intent to fund fiscal year (FY) 2004 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program to support the infrastructure in Namibia to increase their 
capacity to prevent HIV transmission from mother-to-child and to 
improve access to comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and support programs in 
the public sector. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 
for this program is 93.941.

B. Eligible Applicant

    Assistance will be provided only to the Ministry of Health and 
Social Services (MoHSS) of Namibia for support of the PMTCT and HIV/
AIDS care services. No other applications are solicited. In Namibia 
this program will be implemented under the name ``Prevention of mother 
to child transmission of HIV and improving access to comprehensive HIV/
AIDS care for mothers, family members, and other patients in the 
Republic of Namibia''. The MoHSS is the only appropriate and qualified 
organization to fulfill the requirements set forth in this announcement 
because:

    The MoHSS is uniquely positioned, in terms of support from the 
Government of Republic of Namibia (GRN). The MoHSS has the ability 
to financially and technically oversee the project, and to provide 
implementation of a large-scale interpersonal communication project 
as well as a mandate from the GRN.

    The GRN has mandated the MoHSS to implement nationwide coverage of 
PMTCT and HIV/AIDS care programs. The vast majority of such patients 
are under the care of the MoHSS. For example, 84% of the deliveries to 
HIV-positive women take place in government hospitals compared with 16% 
in mission hospitals. The MoHSS has the ability to collect information, 
train staff and advocate for the programs implemented in the National 
AIDS Strategic Plan and disseminate personalized communication to 
support

[[Page 25910]]

the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Republic of Namibia.
    The GRN assisted by the CDC Global AIDS Program conducted a mid-
term evaluation of the performance of the national HIV/AIDS program 
activities in 2003. The results led the GRN to fund the MoHSS to expand 
efforts to address HIV/AIDS, including PMTCT and ART programs. However, 
funding for these vital services remains limited. Therefore, MoHSS is 
the only available organization approved by the GRN to implement PMTCT 
and comprehensive HIV/AIDS care in the public sector health facilities.
    The specific services which the CDC-GAP/MOHSS project will deliver 
are directly associated with the CDC prevention and care strategies 
implemented under the Global AIDS Program in the Republic of Namibia 
and integrated into the MoHSS project. [INSERT JUSTIFICATION STATEMENT 
FOR SINGLE ELIGIBILITY. IF THE AWARD IS LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED, PLEASE 
CITE LEGISLATION.]

C. Funding

    Approximately $5,000,000 is available in FY 2004 to fund this 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before May 1, 
2004, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project 
period of up to 3 years. Funding estimates may change.

D. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    For general comments or questions about this announcement, contact: 
Technical Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 
2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For technical questions about this program, contact: Dr. Tom 
Kenyon, Global AIDS Program, c/o U.S. Embassy Windhoek, 2540 Windhoek 
Place, Washington, DC 20521, Telephone: 264 61 203 2271, Fax number: 
264 61 226 959, E-mail: [email protected].
    For budget assistance, contact: Shirley Wynn, Grants Management 
Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-1515, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: May 3, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-10532 Filed 5-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P