wfn.org | [AACC} Coptic Hospital Nairobi Opens New Infectious Disease Centre

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALL AFRICA CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES
CONFERENCE DES EGLISES DE TOUTE L AFRIQUE

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Telephone (000228) 21-59-24  Fax: 21-59-24
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Our Ref:
2 February 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coptic Hospital Opens New Infectious Disease Centre

This is more than a place where people can receive Anti-Retroviral Drugs, 
Treatment, and Counseling, but it is a place of love and hope for the 
hopeless, proclaimed His Grace Bishop Paul of the Coptic Orthodox Church at 
the opening ceremony of the Hope Centre of Infectious Diseases at the 
Coptic Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Opening Ceremony, held on 1 February, celebrated the creation of the 
centre, which will provide patients with volunteer HIV/AIDS testing, 
clinical assessments, a variety of counseling services, and support group 
services.  All services are free of charge.  In addition to direct care 
provided to patients, the centre also acts as a regional training centre 
for health professionals dealing with HIV/AIDS.

The Hope Centre is a joint effort of the Coptic Orthodox Church and The 
University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA, and also receives 
support from the United States Government and the University of Nairobi.

In addition to His Grace Bishop Paul, speakers included Prof. King Holmes 
of the University of Washington, a prominent medical researcher whose work 
focuses primarily on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, and the 
American ambassador to Kenya, William M. Bellamy.

In his remarks, Holmes emphasized that the standard of care would be on the 
level with that which is offered in the United States, while appropriately 
adapting the clinics delivery of services to a Kenyan context

We can be culturally sensitive, Holmes remarked, without compromising the 
quality of care.

Bellamy emphasized that the name of the centre hope is a core element in 
the fight against HIV/AIDS, but also emphasized that without the commitment 
of financial resources from the international community and responsible use 
of those resources by the Kenyan government, hope is not enough.

Citing the fact that the Kenyan government has only used a small fraction 
of grant money it has received to fight HIV/AIDS, Bellamy maintained that 
hope delayed is too often hope denied when you re living with HIV/AIDS.

The ceremony climaxed with a symbolic lighting of a torch of hope by the 
speakers.

His Grace Bishop Paul is a former Vice President of the All Africa 
Conference of Churches.

AACC is a fellowship of 169 member Churches and Christian Councils in 39 
African countries
La CETA est une commuanute de 169 egleises et conseils chretiens dans 39 
pays d' Afrique