AMERICAN EMBASSY OPENS RENOVATED HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT CENTER IN ODESA

On March 20, 2005, United States Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Sheila Gwaltney and U.S. European Command Deputy Director Robert L. Moore officially opened the renovated Odesa Oblast HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Center. The Humanitarian Assistance Program of the U.S. military’s European Command financed the $273,000 renovation of the sixteen-year-old center. This project is the latest of three Humanitarian Assistance projects in Odesa oblast within the last three years.

The rehabilitation project completely renovated the center’s interior and exterior, and installed new water boilers to provide antiseptic working environments and heating for the building.

In her remarks, Ms. Gwaltney noted the need to jointly fight the HIV/AIDS illness, which recognizes no borders or nationality, and highlighted the accomplished history of the Humanitarian Assistance Program. Mr. Moore also commented on the importance of the program, which “shows the U.S. military’s genuine concern for the people of Ukraine. Projects such as these are about U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation.”

Ukrainian officials present included Ms. Alla Scherbinskaya, Chief of the Ukrainian National AIDS Center, Mr. Anatol Fetescu, Chief of Staff of the Odesa Oblast Governor, Mr. Vasily Lopay, Chief of Odesa Oblast Public Health Administration, and Dr. Stanislav Servetskiy. Clergy representing several denominations were also present.

Photo: U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Sheila Gwaltney and U.S. European Command Deputy Director Robert L. Moore officially open the renovated Odesa Oblast HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Center.