VZCZCXRO0604
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0410/01 1931306
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121306Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3152
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3536

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000410 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IIP; IIP/SEG: CYNTHIA LACOVEY; AF/PD: PETER COZZENS; 
AF/S 
POSTS FOR PAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO KHIV OIIP SCUL LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: SPEAKER PROGRAM EVALUATION - DR. CHUEN-YEN LAU, 
NIH 
 
 
MASERU 00000410  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  From June 18-22, Embassy Maseru hosted 
international speaker Dr. Chuen-Yen Lau, an HIV/AIDS vaccine 
researcher from the National Institutes of Health.  Dr. Lau's 
speaking ability, magnetic personality, and clear grasp of her 
subject matter made this an excellent program on a topic of 
overwhelming importance in Lesotho - a nation with the third 
highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the world.  Dr. Lau 
persevered in the face of difficult circumstances as Maseru 
experienced a restrictive curfew due to a political crisis, 
forcing many of her events to be rescheduled at late notice.  If 
Dr. Lau is available for further speaking engagements, other 
missions would be very fortunate to receive her services.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Below is Embassy Maseru's official review of Dr. Lau's 
program. 
 
¶A.  NAME OF SPEAKER/DVC/TPC GUEST AND DATE OF PROGRAM 
 
Dr. Chuen Yen Lau of the National Institutes of Health conducted 
an HIV/AIDS-related speaker program in Maseru, Lesotho, on June 
18-22, 2007. 
 
¶B.  BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TOPICS/VENUES/AUDIENCES ADDRESSED 
 
Dr. Lau discussed the HIV/AIDS pandemic generally, HIV/AIDS 
vaccine research, male circumcision, and HIV treatment options. 
Among other venues, she gave presentations at: 
-- The National University of Lesotho (audience: HIV/AIDS Task 
Force) 
-- The U.S. Embassy's Public Diplomacy Room (audiences: doctors 
and health workers, civil society, HIV/AIDS home-based care 
support groups, U.S. Embassy staff) 
-- Makoanyane Military Hospital (Military HIV/AIDS Team) 
 
¶C.  AUDIENCE SIZE 
 
Dr. Lau directly addressed 100-200 individuals, and reached many 
more through mass media outreach (see below).  General audience 
numbers were somewhat lower than anticipated due to general 
uncertainly surrounding Lesotho's security situation during the 
political impasse.  However, a June 21 session for local medical 
professionals was packed to capacity, and double the number of 
expected physicians attended. 
 
¶D.  EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SPEAKER IN COMMUNICATION OF INTENDED 
MESSAGES TO TARGET AUDIENCE 
 
Dr. Lau's topic presentations were well received by local 
audiences.  Her insights on HIV/AIDS vaccine development were 
met with great enthusiasm, and one presentation attendee summed 
up the feelings of her colleagues as "surprise and 
enlightenment."  Her presentations included practical and clear 
examples, and she consistently went out her way to engage 
audiences in the active discussion of issues.  She was able to 
effectively explain difficult scientific concepts pertaining to 
HIV/AIDS vaccine research to groups without medical expertise, 
including those in communities affected daily by HIV/AIDS. 
 
¶E.  QUALITY OF IIP SUPPORT 
 
Excellent.  As a PD-light post with limited resources, Embassy 
Maseru is extremely happy to have been offered this opportunity. 
 We received timely updates regarding Dr. Lau's schedule and 
were generally pleased with the quality of support from 
Washington. 
 
¶F.  IMMEDIATE RESULTS / IMPACT 
 
As addressing public health issues, and specifically the 
HIV/AIDS crisis, is Embassy Maseru's number one strategic goal, 
this program was directly in line with mission priorities.  This 
program fulfilled two objectives: 1) to better inform Lesotho's 
medical and support groups about the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and 2) 
to highlight the role of the United States as a leader in 
HIV/AIDS research efforts.  This program fulfilled both of these 
objectives admirably.  Dr. Lau reached out to diverse groups 
involved in the fight against AIDS.  She emphasized the 
importance of research in evaluating and augmenting the efforts 
to fight the disease.  We hope that as result of this program 
more of Lesotho's health institutions will take advantage of 
cutting edge U.S. research in their bids to fight HIV in Africa. 
 
¶G.  PRESS PLACEMENT REPORTING 
 
Embassy Maseru arranged an interview with Dr. Lau on Lesotho 
Television (LTV), the nation's sole domestic television station. 
 The interview was broadcast on June 21, and directly addressed 
 
MASERU 00000410  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Lesotho, American HIV/AIDS research, 
and the work of the National Institutes of Health.  We estimate 
the viewership of LTV at approximately 30,000. 
MURPHY