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Natasha
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Thought this might be of interest for some.
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Natasha
Caribbean: World Bank Approves $155 Million to Support Programs to Fight HIV/AIDS
Loans approved for Dominican Republic, Barbados
Also Available in Spanish
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2001-The World Bank's Board today approved a US$155 million multi-country HIV/AIDS prevention and control lending program for the Caribbean. The first loans to support national programs were also approved, US$25 million to the Dominican Republic and US$15.5 million to Barbados.
"Without strong political will at the highest levels today, and without the support of the international community, HIV/AIDS will prove much more difficult and costly to overcome in the Caribbean in the future," says Orsalia Kalantzopoulos, World Bank Director for the Caribbean Department. "We would like to recognize the commitment of President Hipolit? Mejia of the Dominican Republic and, at the regional level, the leadership of Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and his strong support for the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean."
Consistent with the UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS announced at the recently concluded UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, the Caribbean program aims to assist countries seeking to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS by reducing transmission among high risk groups and educating the general population; to help people living with HIV/AIDS receive care that is effective, affordable and equitable within the context of the government's health policy; and to strengthen the institutional capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS in a sustainable way.
The multi-country program is financed through a so-called Adaptable Program Lending instrument. Under the APL, individual countries will obtain separate loans or credits (from the International Development Association) to finance their national HIV/AIDS prevention and control projects. The program is based on a participatory approach to facilitate government relations with patients, community groups, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, health professionals and the private sector.
In the Dominican Republic and in Barbados the World Bank loans will finance activities largely grouped in three components:
1) Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Transmission: this includes information, education and communication activities to raise awareness; condom distribution and social marketing programs; improved management and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases; prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV; and quality control of laboratories and blood supplies.
2) Diagnosis, basic care, and support of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS: in both countries, this includes strengthening voluntary HIV testing and counseling services;
In the Dominican Republic, this will include home care for HIV/AIDS patients; establishment of basic AIDS health care units; implementation of directly observed treatment (DOT) regimens for TB patients; and support to children orphaned by AIDS.
In Barbados, this will include strengthening laboratory capacity to test for and measure viral loads; strengthening pharmaceutical services; training community health workers and volunteers; establishing the HIV/AIDS Reference Unit, a state of the art site for clinical treatment and patient monitoring, and upgrading in-house information management technology to improve HIV/AIDS surveillance; and setting up criteria for patient enrollment and follow up for anti retroviral treatment.
The World Bank's financing to Barbados will help the government make anti-retroviral drug treatment available for patients at public health facilities who otherwise would not have access to such care. Expanding the access to anti-retrovirals is feasible in Barbados because the public health sector has the required infrastructure and staff are adequately trained to ensure that international guidelines are observed and that anti-retroviral treatment is efficiently and affordably provided. Barbados is also holding discussions with UNAIDS and with providers to lower the cost of drugs.
3) Management and Institutional Strengthening: this includes strengthening surveillance of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections; and project coordination, monitoring and evaluation. In Barbados, this will also include setting up HIV/AIDS program units in key ministries.
Many Caribbean governments have initiated policies on HIV/AIDS but few have scaled up the response to the levels necessary to turn the epidemic around. About two percent of the adult population is living with HIV/AIDS and the incidence rate is accelerating at a pace second only to sub-Saharan Africa. The Dominican Republic and Haiti together account for 85 percent of the total number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Caribbean. The World Bank is seeking grant financing to support a UNAIDS -led national HIV/AIDS strategy in Haiti.
The US$25 million loan to the Dominican Republic is a fixed spread loan, with a 5-year grace period and 17 years to maturity. The US$15.5 million loan to Barbados is a fixed spread, with a 3-year grace period and 10.5 years to maturity for each disbursed amount.
The Bank is a co-sponsor of UNAIDS and also supports the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, and the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization. An AIDS Vaccine Task Force has worked with partners on the AIDS Vaccine Initiative to promote research and development of an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine.
Regards,
Natasha
Caribbean: World Bank Approves $155 Million to Support Programs to Fight HIV/AIDS
Loans approved for Dominican Republic, Barbados
Also Available in Spanish
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2001-The World Bank's Board today approved a US$155 million multi-country HIV/AIDS prevention and control lending program for the Caribbean. The first loans to support national programs were also approved, US$25 million to the Dominican Republic and US$15.5 million to Barbados.
"Without strong political will at the highest levels today, and without the support of the international community, HIV/AIDS will prove much more difficult and costly to overcome in the Caribbean in the future," says Orsalia Kalantzopoulos, World Bank Director for the Caribbean Department. "We would like to recognize the commitment of President Hipolit? Mejia of the Dominican Republic and, at the regional level, the leadership of Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and his strong support for the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean."
Consistent with the UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS announced at the recently concluded UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, the Caribbean program aims to assist countries seeking to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS by reducing transmission among high risk groups and educating the general population; to help people living with HIV/AIDS receive care that is effective, affordable and equitable within the context of the government's health policy; and to strengthen the institutional capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS in a sustainable way.
The multi-country program is financed through a so-called Adaptable Program Lending instrument. Under the APL, individual countries will obtain separate loans or credits (from the International Development Association) to finance their national HIV/AIDS prevention and control projects. The program is based on a participatory approach to facilitate government relations with patients, community groups, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, health professionals and the private sector.
In the Dominican Republic and in Barbados the World Bank loans will finance activities largely grouped in three components:
1) Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Transmission: this includes information, education and communication activities to raise awareness; condom distribution and social marketing programs; improved management and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases; prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV; and quality control of laboratories and blood supplies.
2) Diagnosis, basic care, and support of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS: in both countries, this includes strengthening voluntary HIV testing and counseling services;
In the Dominican Republic, this will include home care for HIV/AIDS patients; establishment of basic AIDS health care units; implementation of directly observed treatment (DOT) regimens for TB patients; and support to children orphaned by AIDS.
In Barbados, this will include strengthening laboratory capacity to test for and measure viral loads; strengthening pharmaceutical services; training community health workers and volunteers; establishing the HIV/AIDS Reference Unit, a state of the art site for clinical treatment and patient monitoring, and upgrading in-house information management technology to improve HIV/AIDS surveillance; and setting up criteria for patient enrollment and follow up for anti retroviral treatment.
The World Bank's financing to Barbados will help the government make anti-retroviral drug treatment available for patients at public health facilities who otherwise would not have access to such care. Expanding the access to anti-retrovirals is feasible in Barbados because the public health sector has the required infrastructure and staff are adequately trained to ensure that international guidelines are observed and that anti-retroviral treatment is efficiently and affordably provided. Barbados is also holding discussions with UNAIDS and with providers to lower the cost of drugs.
3) Management and Institutional Strengthening: this includes strengthening surveillance of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections; and project coordination, monitoring and evaluation. In Barbados, this will also include setting up HIV/AIDS program units in key ministries.
Many Caribbean governments have initiated policies on HIV/AIDS but few have scaled up the response to the levels necessary to turn the epidemic around. About two percent of the adult population is living with HIV/AIDS and the incidence rate is accelerating at a pace second only to sub-Saharan Africa. The Dominican Republic and Haiti together account for 85 percent of the total number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Caribbean. The World Bank is seeking grant financing to support a UNAIDS -led national HIV/AIDS strategy in Haiti.
The US$25 million loan to the Dominican Republic is a fixed spread loan, with a 5-year grace period and 17 years to maturity. The US$15.5 million loan to Barbados is a fixed spread, with a 3-year grace period and 10.5 years to maturity for each disbursed amount.
The Bank is a co-sponsor of UNAIDS and also supports the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, and the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization. An AIDS Vaccine Task Force has worked with partners on the AIDS Vaccine Initiative to promote research and development of an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine.