United States Global AIDS Coordinator

John N. Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator

The United States Global AIDS Coordinator is a position within the United States Department of State responsible for overseeing and coordinating the U.S. government's response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. The office is officially known as the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy (OGAC).

History

The position was established in 2003 by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an initiative launched by President George W. Bush to combat the global HIV/AIDS crisis. The first Global AIDS Coordinator was Randall L. Tobias, who served from 2003 to 2006.

Responsibilities

The Global AIDS Coordinator is tasked with:

• Leading the implementation of PEPFAR.
• Coordinating the efforts of various U.S. government agencies involved in the global HIV/AIDS response.
• Ensuring that U.S. efforts are aligned with international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
• Managing the allocation of funds appropriated by the United States Congress for global HIV/AIDS programs.

Key Initiatives

PEPFAR is the cornerstone of the Global AIDS Coordinator's work. It focuses on:

• Providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to millions of people living with HIV.
• Preventing new HIV infections through various interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC).
• Supporting orphaned and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS.
• Strengthening health systems in partner countries to improve the overall response to HIV/AIDS.

Notable Global AIDS Coordinators

• Randall L. Tobias (2003-2006)
• Mark R. Dybul (2006-2009)
• Eric Goosby (2009-2013)
• Deborah L. Birx (2014-2020)
• John Nkengasong (2022-present)

Impact

Since its inception, PEPFAR has been credited with saving millions of lives and significantly reducing the global HIV/AIDS burden. The program has provided ART to over 20 million people and has been instrumental in preventing millions of new infections.

Related Pages

• HIV/AIDS
• President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
• United States Department of State
• World Health Organization
• Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS