Lok Sabha statement on Global Fund Grant

[Guest guest]

Lok Sabha

The programme grant agreement has been signed between the Government

of India and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

(GFATM) on 20-12-07 for the phase-II of Round IV which will end in

August, 2010 under this project, antiretroviral treatment is being

provided to HIV/AIDS infected persons in 6 high prevalence states and

NCT Delhi.

Under this agreement financial grant of US $ 122,668,637

will be received from GFATM to establish 78 new ART centres,

including 10 centres in the corporate sector. Approximately 84.7 lakh

persons will be screened and 1.8 lakh PLHAs will be provided

treatment at the ART centres.

Facilities for CD4 testing will be made available at 188 ART centres in a phased

manner.

Medical, nursing, counselors, lab technicians and other health personnel working

in the ART centres will be trained.

The terms and conditions of the said agreement are:

(i) Funding is consistent with the funding policies that may be set

by the Global Fund Board;

(ii) No Grant fund shall be used to finance any customs duties,

tariffs, import taxes, or other similar levies and taxes associated

with the import, manufacture, or sale of products or commodities, or

the procurement of services for the programme;

(iii) The Auditor shall be the Comptroller and Auditor General of the

Government of India;

(iv) The Global Fund shall consult the Country Coordinating Mechanism

prior to selecting a new entity to serve as LFA.

(v) The Global Fund and the Principal Recipient commit to use their

best efforts to resolve any issues related to procurement under the

programme in a collaborative fashion;

(vi) The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) of the Ministry of

Health and Family Welfare will be the implementing agency for the

purposes of this Agreement.

GFATM Round IV covers 6 high prevalent States (Tamil Nadu,

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland) and NCT

Delhi.

Under Phase I (September 2005-September, 2007) of GFATM Round

IV, 105 ART centres have been established. The total PLHAs covered

under ART in these centres were 79,390 as against target of 59,007

and 215,698 episodes of opportunistic infections were treated against

the target of 2,37,559 during Phase I.

A total of 51 health care facilities with laboratory capacity to

conduct CD4 counts have been established. 1129 services providers

including doctors, counselors, lab technicians, data entry operators

have been trained in counseling, technical and attitudinal areas.

4,068,929 persons were counseled and tested for HIV in high

prevalence States and NCT Delhi during phase I of GFATM Round IV.

Three operational research studies have also been undertaken.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Health &

Family Welfare, Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply to a

question in the Lok Sabha.

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