Delay in release of funds from NACO

[Guest guest]

Dear Members & Civil Society Partners,

I, on behalf of the all the NGOs funded by West Bengal State AIDS Control

Society and as a spokesperson of the entire civil society in this state, am

writing this letter to convey the agony and the distress of the organizations

working for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the State of West Bengal.

All the civil society members are geared up and trying to perform to the best of

their abilities in combating this global pandemic of HIV/AIDS.

But I am really pained to convey that there is very little sensitivity on the

part of NACO to facilitate these efforts. against HIV/AIDS in this part of the

country. We are also aware of the fact that such delays are a regular affair in

most of the states receiving NACO funding. We want the NGOs and civil society

members from as many states to join us strengthen our hands The NGO-AIDS

Coalition had posted a letter to the Health Minister with copies to Project

Director WBSAPCS, NACO, to look into the speedy disbursal of funds. The copy of

the letter is being is found below.

February 3, 2005

To

Dr.A.Ramdoss

Hon'ble Minister

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Government of India

Nirman Bhavan

New Delhi -1

Dear Sir,

Sub: Delay in release of funds from NACO

We on behalf of the NGO AIDS Coalition - a network of NGOs/CSOs in West Bengal

would like to bring to your notice the following facts for your information and

necessary action in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the state of West Bengal.

In partnership with WBSAPCS the TI partners are in the process of a midline

evaluation to assess our work and to give direction for the future. All the

partner organizations are trying their level best to improve the quality of

interventions and evolve best practices in reducing the harm to society and

preventing the spread HIV to the general population.

In west Bengal, the pioneering effort of NGOs has resulted in the lower

incidence level of HIV and it appears that this work has gone unnoticed and

efforts made in this direction seem by passed.

All the work is being severely affected by the crisis caused due to the delayed

release of funds to the programmes The WBSAPCS has been at the receiving end of

much of our frustrations but we understand that the society too has not received

budgeted funds which has put in jeopardy their implementation plans as well.

Also this is a budgeted and sanctioned amount and the money should be released

immediately.

Delays have happened in the past and most of us have managed to continue our

programmes uninterrupted but this time the delay has been an unprecedented four

months. Projects are on the verge of grinding to a halt.

This lack of sensitivity on the part of NACO, WBSAPCS has rendered Interventions

in the state helpless and in doing so has brought awareness, treatment of STDs

and behavior change communication activities to an insignificant level which

with out funds will need to be halted in time to come.

Given the apathy of NACO we would like to place before the decision makers of

our country the fact that we are pained that there is very little empathy or

even sensitivity towards resolving this crisis. NACO needs to facilitate our

efforts and help us tide over this crisis. Our interventions have been hampered

rather than empowered. This is a crisis that may have an effect on the outcome

of HIV/AIDS in this part of the country.

We have tried to raise this issue in different forums but our appeals have been

met with helplessness. Right now when the entire country is undergoing a severe

crisis with the epidemic spreading like wild fire across the length and breadth

of the country, this apathetic and careless attitude of the insensitive

officials in NACO, New Delhi is doing no good to the problems the man on the

street faces. It is thus our earnest request for mitigation of the problem at

the earliest. It would be doing us a great service if you could facilitate the

speedy disbursal of these sanctioned funds. It would also be helpful if you

could initiate a process to evaluate the reasons for these continual delays in

the disbursal, of funds when we read statements in the press of the vast amount

of funds received and returned unspent.

We also do believe that funds available from DFID for scaling up should be

accessed, as this would help us to put in place risk reduction strategies.

Yours sincerely

President

NGO-AIDS Coalition

West Bengal

E-mail: <BPWT@...>