BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB LAUNCHES SECURE THE FUTURE(R) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO...

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB LAUNCHES SECURE THE FUTURE(R) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO OPTIMIZE COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR COMPREHENSIVE HIV MANAGEMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Key learnings from ongoing SECURE THE FUTURE initiatives to be
presented at International AIDS Conference in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY--(Business Wire)--
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and the Bristol-Myers
Squibb Foundation announced today the launch of the SECURE THE
FUTURE(R) Technical Assistance Program (TAP), an innovative skills
transfer initiative designed to enable communities in countries
severely affected by HIV/AIDS to optimize the delivery of services for
the comprehensive treatment and management of HIV. The SECURE THE
FUTURE TAP empowers community-based groups and individuals to identify
needs and implement solutions, harness and strengthen their resources
and build capacity to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of
community outreach programs.

The new SECURE THE FUTURE TAP represents a consolidation of
successes, experiences and learnings from nine years of SECURE THE
FUTURE, the largest corporate philanthropic commitment of its kind to
fight HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Since its launch in 1999, the
program has grown to a $150 million commitment in 12 African countries
with special emphasis on community treatment support programs, care
for children and building infrastructure. Learnings from SECURE THE
FUTURE-supported community programs will be shared in a
skills-building workshop and meet-the-expert presentations during the
International AIDS Conference in Mexico City this week.

"Bristol-Myers Squibb's SECURE THE FUTURE has worked with
community partners in Africa over the past nine years to develop new
approaches to respond to the AIDS epidemic in hard-hit communities
where resources are limited," said Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
President John Damonti. "The substantial work of our team and partners
in implementing HIV services to date has provided us with unique
perspectives on what works and what needs to be done differently. This
new Technical Assistance Program represents a further evolution of our
commitment to building practical and sustainable solutions that
address the real needs of both healthcare professionals and
beneficiaries."

The SECURE THE FUTURE TAP deploys a faculty of more than 50
experts to work alongside community-based groups and individuals and
provides highly customized assistance based on the unique unmet needs
and priorities of its recipients. The faculty is comprised of program
managers, field workers, researchers, practitioners in the care of
orphans and other vulnerable children, community mobilization and
capacity building, and experts in the fields of monitoring and
evaluation, food security, income-generating activity, governance and
financial management. SECURE THE FUTURE provides full support for the
deployment of its TAP faculty members, the tools used and the services
delivered.

The SECURE THE FUTURE TAP replicates the lessons, experiences and
successful models of SECURE THE FUTURE and encourages social
entrepreneurship to optimize sustainability. Partners are equipped
with the skills and resources to cascade new skills to others. In
addition, the SECURE THE FUTURE network is able to link
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based
organizations (CBOs) to appropriate partners to apply for seed funding
for initiatives.

"With the Technical Assistance Program, we aim to further
facilitate a 'bottom up' approach to defining needs, and to designing
and implementing interventions that are tailored to local realities.
Our support for social entrepreneurship adds a new dimension that we
hope will help communities and families ensure financial security and
sustainability," said Phangisile Mtshali, director of Bristol-Myers
Squibb, SECURE THE FUTURE, Southern Africa.

To apply to the new SECURE THE FUTURE Technical Assistance
Program, interested participants should submit applications via the
Web site www.securethefuture.com. Programs should be aligned to the
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation mandate of bridging health gaps and
addressing disparities. Priority will be given to entities seeking to
integrate and leverage community-based resources to support HIV/AIDS
treatment, care and impact mitigation. Priority will also be given to
applicants that champion social entrepreneurship.

SECURE THE FUTURE at the International AIDS Conference

The SECURE THE FUTURE TAP complements the SECURE THE FUTURE
Manual: Seven Steps to Involve the Community in HIV/AIDS Treatment
Support Programs (First Edition), an implementation tool that provides
practical, step-by-step guidance on integrating community mobilization
and support services with medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS
in resource-limited settings. This Thursday, at the International AIDS
Conference in Mexico City, SECURE THE FUTURE representatives will
conduct a skills-building workshop to share with NGOs and CBOs
operational tools and lessons from the manual. SECURE THE FUTURE
grantees will also share successes and key learnings from their
programs throughout the conference at the Bristol-Myers Squibb exhibit
booth.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose
mission is to extend and enhance human life. For more information
visit www.bms.com.

Bristol-Myers Squibb
Sonia Choi
cell: +1 609-213-6015
office: +1 609-252-5132
sonia.choi@bms.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008