U.S.$ 41 Million to Strengthen HIV and TB Response in Sudan
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Tags: Aids, HIV, malaria, Tuberculosis
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Ministry of Health in Sudan and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) have announced two new partnership agreements totaling US$ 41 million for Sudan, to give a major boost to the country’s response to HIV and Tuberculosis.
“Thanks to our collaboration with UNDP we have made significant progress in managing the burden of HIV and TB. This grant is a breakthrough as it will help us to address the special needs of key populations,” noted Dr. Tarig Abdallrahim, Director of the Ministry’s Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease Control Directorate.
The director added that five mobile clinics will be set up to manage the TB epidemic in hard to reach populations in the five states of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Since 2005, UNDP has been actively supporting the Government of Sudan to strengthen their national health system as well as to reduce the transmission and morbidity of HIV and TB. There have been significant results in containing the epidemic, increasing service coverage and strengthening the national health system. For instance, the number of people accessing HIV counselling and testing increased from 14,000 in 2007 to over 250,000 in 2014. In the same period the number of health facilities providing antiretroviral treatment increased from 21 to 36. Also as of 2014, the number of people antiretroviral treatment has increased to 3,937 from only 319 back in 2007.
The first grant amounting to US$ 20.4 million is set to manage the steady decrease of TB cases between now and 2017, by identification of 26,600 new TB cases by 2016 – a 10% increase compared to today. Better identification means cases can be treated more quickly. The grant will also go towards improving treatment for 90% of newly infected patients as well as for 75% of those undergoing a relapse. The grant will also be used to intensify efforts to detect and treat multidrug resistant TB across Sudan. In addition, it will provide diagnostic equipment and tuberculosis medicines, including pediatric formula, free of charge.
The second grant of US$ 20.8 million will go towards halting the spread of HIV among communities most at risk between now and 2017. It will support efforts to keep the HIV prevalence rate below 2.5% among key populations and below 0.3% among the general population. It will also be used to provide universal access to comprehensive HIV treatment, care and support services to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people living with HIV.
UNDP Sudan Country Director, Mr. Selva Ramachandran reiterated UNDP’s commitment to addressing HIV and TB in Sudan-“UNDP’s goal is to strengthen the response at the national, state and local level by supporting the development of local expertise and backstopping programme performance. To get TB under control, the authorities are planning to provide social support to patients and develop a national campaign to fight the stigma and discrimination that severely hinders TB efforts. Regarding HIV, testing is essential to bend the curve of the epidemic and we remain committed to supporting the provision of HIV testing, counseling and treatment to those in need.”
For more information visit:
UNDP Sudan – http://www.sd.undp.org/
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria – http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/
About UNDP
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
About the Global Fund
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB & Malaria has been supporting Sudan since 2005 by funding the HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria programs including Health System Strengthening. The overall goal of the Fund supported projects is to prevent deaths caused by the three diseases, to interrupt transmission of HIV, to reduce morbidity, and to strengthen the health system.
Contact Information
In New York: Sangita Khadka, Communications Specialist, Email: sangita.khadka@undp.org Tel: +1 212 906 5043
In Geneva: Sarah Bel, Communications Specialist, Email: sarah.bel@undp.org
In Sudan: Yusra Salim, UNDP Communication Specialist, Sudan, Email: yusra.salim@undp.org
