The Foundation: Mission statement
Help for people with HIV in southern Africa
The Ruedi Lüthy Foundation works in southern Africa, where the Aids epidemic is most widespread. We want to combat this disease over the long term, by caring for HIV patients at Newlands Clinic, by training healthcare professionals, and by engaging in research.
Film Portrait Ruedi Lüthy Foundation
In Zimbabwe there are 1.3 million people with HIV/Aids. Most of them live in grinding poverty. 20,000 people die a year of AIDS here, because there is no medical care for them. The film by Simon Huber shows how the Newlands Clinic's work gives these people a second life.
About us
The Ruedi Lüthy Foundation (formerly Swiss Aids Care International) was set up in 2003 by Prof. Ruedi Lüthy with the goal of providing comprehensive care for HIV and Aids patients in southern Africa. The Foundation now runs Newlands Clinic, an outpatient facility in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare that provides long-term treatment for about 8,000 HIV patients, and that also has its own Training Centre and Women's Health Centre.
Long-standing donors and partners
The Ruedi Lüthy Foundation is funded by donations and by contributions from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Other key partners include Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care, and Swiss foundations and companies. We would also like to sincerely thank all our partners and donors for their considerable support and commitment.
The Foundation's purpose
The purpose of the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation is to provide comprehensive care to HIV and Aids patients in southern Africa. In doing so, we focus not just on HIV treatment for destitute patients (A), but also on the training of healthcare workers (B) and on research (C). Our commitment is for the long term, since the HIV/Aids epidemic will not be stopped by short-term emergency aid but by sustained efforts locally.
The Foundation: Board of Trustees
Passionately committed
The members of the Board of Trustees bring a wealth of expertise from various fields, and provide unstinting support to the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation and Newlands Clinic.
The members of the Board of Trustees:
- Hans Lutz, Prof. em., Rüdlingen (President)
- Martin Fuhrer, former Head of International Cooperation at the Swiss Red Cross, Bern
- Ruedi Lüthy, Prof. em., Founder of the Foundation and Newlands Clinic, consultant, Harare/Muntelier
- Gregor Neidhart, certified expert in accounting and controlling, Winterthur (Vice President)
- Eliane Rohner, PD Dr. med., Medical Practitioner and Researcher at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern, Bern
- Manuel Sager, former Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, Gümligen
- Gilles Wandeler, Prof. Dr. med., Senior Physician at the University Clinic for Infectious Diseases at the Inselspital Bern and Senior Research fellow at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern, Fribourg
"Ruedi Lüthy is all about providing help that is professional and comprehensive, but also heart-felt and compassionate. That's why I support the Foundation."
Martin Fuhrer, member of the Board of Trustees
The Foundation: Supporters
Our supporters
Without the moral and active support of the Patronage Committee and the Scientific Advisory Council, Prof. Ruedi Lüthy would never have succeeded in making Newlands Clinic what it is today. Our heartfelt thanks go to all of our supporters!
Patronage Committee
- Kurt Aeschbacher, former SRF television presenter and journalist, Zurich
- Ruth Dreifuss, former Swiss Federal Councillor, Geneva
- Felix Gutzwiller, Prof. em., former Director of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich
- Patrick Rohr, communications consultant, photographer and journalist, Zurich/Amsterdam (formerly member of our Board of Trustees)
- Marcel Stutz, former Swiss Ambassador
- Martin Täuber, Prof. em., former Rector of the University of Bern
- Alexandra Trkola, Prof., Head of the Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich
Scientific Advisory Council
- Prof. Hansjakob Furrer, Physician in Chief and Director Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital
- Prof. Huldrych Günthard, Senior Attending Physician / Deputy Director, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich
- Prof. em. Bernard Hirschel, Chairman of the Cantonal Ethics Committee Geneva (CCER)
- Prof. Christoph Rudin, Prof., Head of Paediatrics and Paediatric Nephrology, University Children’s Hospital, Basel
- Prof. em. Jörg Schüpbach, former Director of the Swiss National Centre for Retroviruses, University of Zurich
"Newlands Clinic not only provides care for its own patients, it also trains staff for other clinics in Zimbabwe and seeks to educate the population. That's why I support the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation."
Former Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss, member of the Patronage Committee.
"Ruedi Lüthy and his team have given thousands of people the gift of a new life, and a life with dignity. That in itself is reason enough for me to support the foundation with all my heart."
Patrick Rohr, member of the Patronage Committee