USAID awards $25 million to two projects fighting HIV/AIDS

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Nepal) has decided to award up to $25 million to two new health programs aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. The fund would be available for use over the next three years.

"The USAID/Nepal has been providing support for HIV/AIDS interventions in Nepal since 1993; total funding in this period has reached more than $50 million, not including this new funding," states a press release issued by the US Embassy. The new funding has been announced on the eve of World AIDS Day (December 1).

"Nepal has a concentrated epidemic, driven by injecting drug use, high risk sexual activity and labor migration, all of which are risk factors that lead to substantial rates of HIV infection among female sex workers, their clients, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and labor migrants. Most of the estimated 70,000 people living with HIV/AIDS do not know they are infected, and HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination prevent them and others from seeking HIV counseling and testing, prevention, care and treatment services," states the press release.

The two new health programs include Advancing Surveillance, Policies, Prevention, Care and Support to Fight HIV/AIDS (ASHA). " This program, implemented under the President's Emergency Plan, directly contributes to Nepal's National HIV/AIDS Strategy and National HIV/AIDS Operating Plan," the release states, adding, "In this phase of the HIV/AIDS program in Nepal, USAID/Nepal plans to sustain the successes of the program to date including: promoting strong local ownership and building capacity in the public sector to oversee HIV/AIDS services; implementing targeted behavior change activities in close collaboration with all partners; encouraging and supporting more public-private partnerships; and optimizing coordination of all activities including surveillance, and monitoring and evaluation to track progress and monitor trends."

Likewise, Nepal Social Marketing and Franchise Project (N-MARC) is another program that has received the funding. "Building on past successes and learning, USAID/Nepal is supporting social marketing/franchising of key family planning, maternal and child health and HIV commodities through the N-MARC project." This project will continue to target HIV/AIDS prevention, reproductive health and child survival. Products marketed through the program include clean delivery kits, disinfectant, oral rehydration salts, condoms and a full range of contraceptives for family planning. nepalnews.com sd Nov 30 06