From: rastern@sol.racsa.co.cr
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 21:25:02 -0600 (CST)
Subject: FAX to Peter Piot

NOTE.   THE FOLLOWING FAX WAS SENT ON MARCH 23RD TO PETER PIOT, DIRECTOR OF
UNAIDS. AS OF THIS DATE,  MARCH 31ST, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY.

Richard Stern, Ph.D
Guillermo Murillo
Telephone:   506-234-2411
                       506-433-8522
           Fax:    506-234-2411

Apartado 366-2200
Coronado, Costa Rica
rastern@sol.racsa.co.cr
atrirosa@sol.racsa.co.cr

23 March, 1998

Dr. Peter Piot
Director
ONUSIDA
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211, Geneva 27
Geneva, Switzerland
Fax: 41-22-791-3666

Dear Dr. Piot:

We are writing this letter to ask for a clarification on several urgent
issues that affect People Living with AIDS in the Central American region:

1)  We understand that new UNAIDS representatives will be chosen for the
region to replace Dr. A. Fulladolsa, whose work has been woefully
inadequate. What assurance is there that the person or people who replace
Dr. Fulladolsa will be responsive to needs of  NGO's as well as people
living with AIDS?  Will input from various NGO's, including "grass roots"
NGO's be sought before these replacements are named?  

2) What is UNAIDS budget for the Central American region and what are the
program priorities that  UNAIDS sees for this region?

3)  Is there is or is there not funding available for "grass roots" NGO's
who are working for such  themes as access to treatment and human rights and
how does one exactly apply for such funding?

4)  In general we protest the inadequate attention by UNAIDS to the problems
faced by people living with AIDS in our region and ask that this situation
be investigated and  remediated as quickly as possible...



We  hope that you will respond directly to the four issues mentioned in
this fax.


Sincerely, 


Richard Stern
Health Coordinator
Association Triangulo Rosa


Guillermo Murillo
President,
Costa Rican Association of People Living With AIDS


cc: Central American NGO's:
     Fundacion Vida, Costa Rica
      Association of Persons Living with AIDS, Costa Rica
      Triangulo Rosa, Costa Rica
      ILPES, Costa Rica
      APACSIDA, Panama
      PROBIDSIDA, Panama
      Nimehuatzin, Nicaragua
      Xochiquetzal, Nicaragua
      Oasis, Guatemala 
      Pro-Vida, El Salvador
      Flor de Piedra, El Salvador
      Fundasida, El Salvador
      Prisma, Honduras   
      Comunidad San Pedrana, Honduras