Preface

The Hadassah AIDS Center (HAC) , is an integral part of the Department of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, at Hadassah U. Hospital.

HAC operates through it's Hadassah Jerusalem office in two areas in Jerusalem.

Its International programs is focused mainly in Ethiopia.

In Jerusalem, the HAC treats over 350 adult patients at the AIDS Clinic situated in the main building of Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital. A small Pediatric AIDS program also runs at Hadassah Hospital. All commercially available, FDA approved ARV's (anti retroviral drugs) are being used at the clinic. These ARV's are being supplied by the 4 Israeli Health Funds. The AIDS clinic also tests for viral load, Viral resistance and CD4 level. Over half the HAC patients are Ethiopian immigrants.

The HAC also runs   the Jerusalem VCT (Voluntary counseling and testing) clinic, offering anonymous and confidential HIV testing. This is the only site for Government sponsored, HIV testing in the Jerusalem area 

Manpower: The HAC manpower comprises of 4 MD's, specialists in Infectious Diseases, 2 nurses 2 social workers, 2 Ethiopian coordinators and 3 counselors and a technician.

The HAC International Program:

Ethiopia:

History : Since 1995 a collaboration between HAC and EHNRI (Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute) as well as several hospitals and clinics   in Addis Abeba has been running in  the field of HIV/AIDS and  associated sexually transmitted infections (STI's) . The project has been sustained through private donations and small grants from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Since 2004, with the entry to Ethiopia of  US programs in AIDS control and the introduction of ART ( antiretroviral treatment) under  PEPFAR (President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief),  the  Hadassah- Ethiopian collaboration  has entered a new phase, involving  US partners. New collaborative programs were laid with an emphasis on transfer of know-how   in AIDS Medicine to Ethiopian medical personnel, on the building of infrastructure for the delivery of anti-retroviral drugs, on the development of HIV drug resistance in Ethiopia, and on Tuberculosis control. In each of these areas, the HAC has established viable collaborative program.

Education in AIDS Medicine: The HAC subcontracts with   ITECH (International Training &Education Center on HIV) of the U. of Washington, Seattle, becoming  part of  it's  U. Washington's PEPFAR  program in Ethiopia  . The HAC, together with  Israeli collaborators(members of  ICAM, Israeli  Consortium on AIDS Medicine at Tel Aviv AIDS Center and the Central HIV laboratory at Tel Hashomer hospital) has launched advanced courses in AIDS Medicine to Ethiopian doctors and nurses, emphasizing the  multidisciplinary approach to AIDS care, as an indispensable component to AIDS care in Ethiopia (and Israel) . These perceptorship based training courses are run in Israel, 2/3 times a year.

HIV Resistance : During 1996 and  in collaboration with the US-CDC and the EHNRI , the HAC participated in  the first  HIV drug resistance survey in Ethiopia HAC has organized a lab. training  program in HIV resistance technology to Ethiopian technicians at the Central Virology Lab for Israel. Workshop in  the technical aspects of HIV resistance testing was conducted in Addis Abeba by a team from the Israeli  Central virology lab for HIV resistance.

Advanced Clinical Monitoring (ACM) : Through private contributions,  the HAC has developed an advanced clinical monitoring  program for AIDS patients on ART in Addis Abeba (the St. Paul Cohort) . The program is in it's 3 years and recruited so far over 200 patients .

Tuberculosis control: the HAC, through a collaboration with John Hopkins U. Bloomberg School of Public Health has been active in the introducing MODS(Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility)  assay to Ethiopia. The assay, a culture based technique for fast identification and resistance of M. tuberculosis in culture , carries the potential of revolutionizing the diagnosis of Tuberculosis in developing countries. In 1996, the HAC has run the first course in the diagnosis of Tuberculosis using MODS. HAC collaborates with the Clinical Microbiology department at Hadassah in this program.

New developments  expected in 2007-2008:

In early 2007, the HAC became a full partner with the US CDC in program related to  the AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia.

The HAC is planning to continue all it's present engagements. In addition applications for new programs has been submitted towards the next phase PEPFAR in 2008-2009 :

Establishing a Nurse based  program in AIDS Medicine, answering  the growing needs for  skilled  -Non Doctoral-  manpower in  the further development of the ART program in Ethiopia. Candidates for courses to be run in Israel are registered Ethiopian nurses and Health officers.

Establishing an ACM program at Health Centers  where ART  is given. ART treatment would be guided by Nurses.

Establish HIV resistance program at Health Centers in Ethiopia.

Establish dry blood spots as a diagnostic tool in Pediatric AIDS.

Involvement in Other Countries:

Early approaches towards the involvement of the HAC in program related to AIDS control in Kazachstan and Russia are underway.