US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1099

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001099 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR AF/W DAN EPSTEIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, AMED, NI 
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM PRESIDENT O. OBASANJO TO PRESIDENT 
G.W. BUSH 
 
1. Following is the text of a letter from President Olusegun 
Obasanjo to President George W. Bush. Original will be sent 
by pouch. 
 
2. Begin text. 
 
PRES/15 
 
His Excellency, 
President George W. Bush, 
The White House, 
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, 
Washington, DC 20502, 
USA. 
 
Dear President 
 
RE: PAN AFRICAN HEALTH FOUNDATION 
 
It is with great pleasure that I am writing to introduce you 
to the Pan African Health Foundation (PAHF). This new 
international non-profit (501 (c) 3) initiative will address 
the large and growing burden of infectious diseases in Africa 
in a new and lasting way.  It is currently supported by my 
government, the Nigerian and U.S. private sector and other 
foreign companies operating in Nigeria. I would be very 
honoured if the US government decides to participate in this 
critical project as well. I have outlined below, for your 
consideration, information about PAHF and its relevance to 
the growing burden of disease in Africa. 
 
One of humanity's most pressing issues is how not only to 
reduce Africa's disease burden, but also how to stop it from 
worsening. Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death 
in Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 
10.5 million children in poor nations died before the age of 
five in 2002. The majority of these deaths were caused by 
preventable or treatable infectious diseases, including 1.9 
million from respiratory infections, (including Tuberculosis 
(TB), and 1.1 million from Malaria.  Additionally, HIV/AIDS 
takes the lives of 14,000 people every day, including 2,000 
children and this pandemic is growing. 
 
The human suffering due to these diseases is devastating. The 
economic impact of this burden is less well known, but is 
also staggering: for example, the WHO estimates that Africa's 
GDP would be US$12 billion greater each year if malaria were 
eradicated. In addition to decreasing productivity, disease 
tears at the fabric of society by straining families - 
millions of children are orphaned each year, and millions of 
parents lose their children to disease. As you have often 
indicated, without strong families, social well-being and 
political stability are compromised. The above facts also 
convey a crucial message - sustainable development is 
feasible in Africa only if Africa tames the infectious 
diseases that are disempowering its people. 
 
A major factor in the spread of disease throughout Africa is 
that essential medical supplies to prevent or treat these 
infectious diseases are often unavailable or unaffordable. 
The traditional intenational aid approach has been to donate 
these supplies in times of crisis. While this approach 
provides temporary solutions, it falls short of the ideal 
situation in which African countries become self-sufficient. 
 
PAHF's approach moves toward this ideal by developing 
self-sustaining solutions to Africa's high level of 
infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and 
tuberculosis.  To achieve this goal, PAHF will support the 
construction of production facilities for essential medical 
supplies within Africa. Each factory will be operated by a 
local not-for-profit group to create African ownership. PAHF 
is also working with international leaders in the for profit, 
not-for-profit and government sectors to develop and ensure 
best standards and practices in order to guarantee that the 
factories are managed and operated in line with international 
best practices. Furthermore, we will work with all parties to 
ensure that the products safely reach their targeted 
end-users. 
 
PAHF will provide the funding for factory construction and 
initial operating capital. Each factory will then operate on 
a not-for-profit, self-sustaining basis, with all revenues 
from product sales re-invested into the factory to guarantee 
continuous operation. With no obligations to repay loans or 
provide profits to shareholders, PAHF sponsored factories 
will be able to sell their products well below market prices. 
 
Thus, PAHF's approach decreases our dependency on the 
international aid community by building local production 
capacity, enabling critical technology transfers, creating 
vital jobs and building self-sufficiency. I strongly believe 
that the PAHF initiative offers us a unique and immediate 
opportunity to demonstrate concretely, the New Partnership 
for African Development's (NEPAD) goals and objectives, 
including moving towards African solutions to African 
problems. 
PAHF is targeting essential and proven effective medical 
technologies as identified by the WHO such as Auto Disable 
(AD) Syringes and Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs). 
Not only are these supplies critical in reducing the spread 
of infectious disease but they also have simple manufacturing 
processes and are made from raw materials available in Africa. 
 
PAHF's first project will be an AD syringe factory in Port 
Harcourt, Nigeria. AD syringes are critical because 
injections are the most common medical procedure, numbering 
16 billion each year. The WHO estimates that nearly half of 
all syringes are re-used in Africa, causing 1.3 million early 
deaths and leading to US$ 535 million in direct medical 
costs. In Nigeria, it is estimated that 10% of all new 
HIV/AIDS infections are caused from blood sources, including 
unsafe injections. AD syringes prevent the dangerous re-use 
of syringes by ensuring that each syringe can be used only 
once. 
 
The Port Harcourt syringe factory will produce 135 million 
syringes each year, providing safe injections and 
immunisations four our children. In the words of the Hon. Dr. 
Louis Sullivan, former Secretary of Health and Human Services 
and a Board Member of the Pan African Health Foundation, this 
factory will help ensure that "parents will no longer be 
faced with the fear that their children will become ill 
because of an immunisation that was meant to protect them". 
Additionally, this project, through job creation and a 
demonstrated commitment to the local population, will help 
increase stability in this oil-producing region and bring 
significant lasting benefits to the people of Port Harcourt 
and Nigeria as a whole. 
 
As you know, due to Nigeria's limited budget for public 
spending, we directly support very few not-for-profit 
organizations. However, PAHF's approach differs greatly from 
traditional charity work and is very much in line with our 
own development objectives. We also believe that PAHF will 
bring large and lasting benefits to the Port Harcourt 
community, and Nigeria as a whole. We are, therefore, 
supporting PAHF with a donation of 200,000.000 Naira 
(approximately US$1.5 million). Additionally, the Rivers 
State has generously donated four hectares of land for the 
project. It is our hope that this project can usher in a new 
standard for development assistance. 
 
It is my great hope that your government will consider 
joining us in this important initiative. I hope you will 
consider dedicating funds from your Emergency Plan for AIDS 
Relief for this project. Your government's support, either 
directly, or an a matching funds basis, will greatly expedite 
PAHF's ability to raise the US$20 million necessary for the 
AD syringe project. Additionally, given that PAHF is a 
public-private partnership, we would also greatly appreciate 
if you could use your good offices to encourage the private 
sector to participate. The sooner this project is built, the 
sooner our children can expect safe injections. 
 
Thank you, while I look forward to receiving your response on 
your potential involvement in this project. 
 
Yours sincerely 
/signature/ 
Olusegun Obasanjo 
 
End text. 
 
CAMPBELL