Grant

Global Fund Renews HIV/AIDS Grant to India

India would receive a grant worth more than US$ 100 million from Global Funds for fighting AIDS in India. This new grant brings the total approved amount of Global Fund resources to battle the three pandemics in India to US$ 492 million.

The grant was originally approved during the Global Fund's fourth funding round. Implementation of the grant began in 2005. Recently, the grant was successful in clearing the Global Fund's Phase 2 process. The Phase 2 process is designed as a checkpoint in a grant's lifecycle. Funding is initially committed for the first two years of a proposal period. Only those grants with satisfactory performance are allowed to continue for the remaining three years.

"This is very positive news for India's fight against AIDS and the many people living in the country, infected with HIV and/or affected by the disease," said Dr Abumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India. "These new resources will be put to use in the best possible way, building on the strong performance of the programme during its first two years."

The grant's principal recipient, the Department of Economic Affairs of the Government of India, will use the money to strengthen and scale up antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programmes throughout the country and to increase access to quality voluntary counseling and testing services. Resources will also be used to tackle stigma associated to the disease through efficient communication efforts and to train more health professionals.

"We are proud to continue funding the important work that is being done to provide care and treatment to people living with AIDS and to change social attitudes that leave so many vulnerable to stigma and discrimination," said the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Dr Michel Kazatchkine.

EH News Bureau