Botswana, in southern Africa, has the second-highest adult HIV
prevalence in the world, with nearly a quarter of adults
infected. In 2001, the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS
Partnership reached out to Penn for help in addressing the
epidemic—and the University has been offering assistance to the
country ever since. Through the Botswana-UPenn Partnership, led
by Harvey Friedman, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at
Penn’s School of Medicine, the University sends roughly 300
nurses, medical students and other staff to Botswana annually.
Fifty Penn doctors and staff work permanently in clinical and
research programs in Botswana, including tuberculosis and HIV
treatment. The Partnership also includes education exchanges and
research projects. For example, Carrie L. Kovarik, an assistant
professor of dermatology and infectious diseases at Penn, runs a
dermatological project in the country. Penn’s Biomedical Library
is bringing a librarian to Philadelphia from the University of
Botswana to observe the Unive