World Bank unveils Aids plan for Africa

[Guest guest]

World Bank unveils Aids plan for Africa

May 16, 2008

The World Bank on Wednesday announced a four-year plan to tackle

HIV/Aids in Africa that shifts its mission from providing emergency

relief to implementing long-term development projects, Reuters reports.

The strategy was outlined in a report, titled " World Bank's Commitment

to HIV/Aids in Africa - Our Agency for Action, 2007-2011, " the

AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

The agency developed the strategy in conjunction with African

countries, people living with HIV/Aids, United Nations agencies,

non-government organisations and private companies.

Under the plan, the World Bank will advise African countries on how

best to manage the influx of international HIV/Aids funding. It also

seeks to improve countries' oversight and assessment capabilities so

they can record how efficiently and effectively they are responding to

the disease, the AP/Herald Tribune reports.

The World Bank said it plans to assist governments in combining

HIV/Aids services with programs for reproductive and maternal health,

nutrition and other diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis,

according to a release. The agency noted that the " feminisation " of

the HIV/Aids epidemic, its links to sexual and reproductive health,

and the frequency of HIV/TB coinfection " amplify the importance of

providing people with integrated health services " .

In addition, the bank said it will commit at least $250-million

annually for HIV/Aids programmes based on country demand and create a

grant incentive fund of $5-million annually to support assessment,

health and education projects.

The shift in the World Bank's focus follows billions in grant funding

from the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief and the Global

Fund To Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. According to Reuters,

the World Bank has provided $1.5-billion to more than 30 African

countries to fight HIV/Aids since 2000.

" With Aids the largest single cause of premature death in Africa, we

can't talk about better, lasting development without also committing

to stay the course in the long-term fight against the disease, "

Lule, manager of the World Bank's Aids Team for Africa, said.

" After 25 years, it is time to apply the lessons of experience and

scale up what is working, " Piot, executive director of UNAids,

said, adding: " With this Agenda for Action, the World Bank reaffirms

its long-term commitment to assist partner countries " in combating the

disease.

Recent data indicate that HIV/Aids cases in parts of Botswana, Cote

d'Ivoire, Malawi and Zimbabwe are declining. Yet for every

HIV-positive person in Africa starting antiretroviral therapy for the

first time, an additional four to six people contract HIV, according

to the report. The bank reported that about 22.5 million people in

Africa are HIV-positive. More than 60 percent of those people are

women, and young women are more likely to be living with HIV than

young men, the bank said.

[Guest guest]

World Bank unveils Aids plan for Africa

May 16, 2008

The World Bank on Wednesday announced a four-year plan to tackle

HIV/Aids in Africa that shifts its mission from providing emergency

relief to implementing long-term development projects, Reuters reports.

The strategy was outlined in a report, titled " World Bank's Commitment

to HIV/Aids in Africa - Our Agency for Action, 2007-2011, " the

AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

The agency developed the strategy in conjunction with African

countries, people living with HIV/Aids, United Nations agencies,

non-government organisations and private companies.

Under the plan, the World Bank will advise African countries on how

best to manage the influx of international HIV/Aids funding. It also

seeks to improve countries' oversight and assessment capabilities so

they can record how efficiently and effectively they are responding to

the disease, the AP/Herald Tribune reports.

The World Bank said it plans to assist governments in combining

HIV/Aids services with programs for reproductive and maternal health,

nutrition and other diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis,

according to a release. The agency noted that the " feminisation " of

the HIV/Aids epidemic, its links to sexual and reproductive health,

and the frequency of HIV/TB coinfection " amplify the importance of

providing people with integrated health services " .

In addition, the bank said it will commit at least $250-million

annually for HIV/Aids programmes based on country demand and create a

grant incentive fund of $5-million annually to support assessment,

health and education projects.

The shift in the World Bank's focus follows billions in grant funding

from the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief and the Global

Fund To Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. According to Reuters,

the World Bank has provided $1.5-billion to more than 30 African

countries to fight HIV/Aids since 2000.

" With Aids the largest single cause of premature death in Africa, we

can't talk about better, lasting development without also committing

to stay the course in the long-term fight against the disease, "

Lule, manager of the World Bank's Aids Team for Africa, said.

" After 25 years, it is time to apply the lessons of experience and

scale up what is working, " Piot, executive director of UNAids,

said, adding: " With this Agenda for Action, the World Bank reaffirms

its long-term commitment to assist partner countries " in combating the

disease.

Recent data indicate that HIV/Aids cases in parts of Botswana, Cote

d'Ivoire, Malawi and Zimbabwe are declining. Yet for every

HIV-positive person in Africa starting antiretroviral therapy for the

first time, an additional four to six people contract HIV, according

to the report. The bank reported that about 22.5 million people in

Africa are HIV-positive. More than 60 percent of those people are

women, and young women are more likely to be living with HIV than

young men, the bank said.