Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Mourns Loss of Members of HIV/AIDS Community Aboard Flight MH17

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Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Jul 18, 2014, 11:58 ET

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) expresses deep sadness regarding the tragedy of downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the loss of all those aboard. While full details remain unconfirmed, it is believed that many passengers were en route to the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014), scheduled to take place in Melbourne, Australia.

Joep Lange, M.D., former president of the International AIDS Society (IAS), is thought to be among the many members of the HIV/AIDS community reported to have been on board Flight MH17.

"The untimely loss of Dr. Joep Lange is a tragedy for the entire HIV/AIDS community, especially for those of us working toward ending AIDS in children," said Laura Guay, M.D., vice president of research at EGPAF. "His broad research expertise and extraordinary contributions to the field included some of the earliest studies on prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Africa. He was a passionate and tireless advocate for global access to prevention, care, and treatment services, particularly for women and children."

The HIV/AIDS community is bonded by the common purpose to end the epidemic, and today we are also joined in sorrow as we mourn the loss of many great advocates, researchers, and friends aboard Flight MH17. In their honor, EGPAF will continue its work until no child has AIDS.

About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF):
EGPAF is the global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/ AIDS and has reached 20 million women with services to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. It currently supports more than 7,000 health facilities and works in 15 countries to implement prevention, care, and treatment services; to further advance innovative research; and to execute global advocacy activities that bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pedaids.org.

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SOURCE Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation