On July 14th in Maputo, Mozambique, the DREAM Program has signed a new important agreement with the Ministry of Health of the country, which seals the long friendship between the Community and Mozambique.

A friendship which started in the late ‘80s that has developed in these 30 years in a tangible commitment towards peace, justice and solidarity with the people of Mozambique.

The agreement signed today marks a further alliance to stop the spread of AIDS, which is causing more victims than a war, and strengthens an already existing cooperation, a partnership through which it is possible to change the future of the country.

DREAM is active in Mozambique since 2002, when there was no talk of antiretroviral therapy in Africa, and today operates throughout numerous centers spread across the country for the treatment and prevention of the virus from mother to child. In these years we cared for 72.000 patients and 7.500 healthy babies were born thanks to the vertical prevention program. Approximately 3.000 health professionals were trained in the many pan-African courses held in the country.

Today the Ministry of Health recognizes the effort and commitment shown by DREAM and through the new agreement wishes to consolidate it and seek the needed support to reach the goal of bringing to zero new infections, especially through the transmission mother to child, in the public facilities, in all the provinces of the country.

It is projected the use of the triple therapy in the prevention of HIV in pregnant women HIV positive, the expansion of the pediatric antiretroviral treatment, the execution of humanizing strategies and improvement of quality and adherence, the implementation of nutritional supplementation for pregnant women and children.

And also laboratory monitoring, psychological support and the expansion of community involvement through home care, management of the medication, training of health personnel, support for the implementation of a Health Information System, operative research. In a word, fielding a strong strategy for the universal access to antiretroviral treatment.

After the call made in May in Rome during the conference sponsored by the Community on the expansion of the therapy for all, the new agreement represents a first concrete step in this direction.

Immediately after the signature, a party broke out in every DREAM center of the country, together with many prayers of gratefulness, joy and happiness for the new hope that arises from today for all, for so many women, children but also for those yet to be born.

Today a new chapter has been added to the history of peace in Mozambique, the chapter that wants to see a new generation to which HIV/AIDS is no longer a reason for grief and poverty.