The Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Pakistan, Jonathan Addleton, has provided 2.7 million dollar to Pakistan HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care Project (PHAPCP) by awarding grants to three organisations to help stop transmission of HIV/AIDS among the most vulnerable segments of society in Turbat, Peshawar and Karachi.
Over the past year the USAID-funded project has been helping local organisations to implement transmission prevention activities in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Karachi and Larkana.
"I am very happy to announce that three new sites are being added in the current year with three new partners," Addleton said at the grants award ceremony. "With this grant, the United States reaffirms its commitment to improve the health and quality of life of Pakistani people. This is the moment to redouble our efforts to prevent the further spread of this fatal disease," he added.
Though Pakistan has a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS, it faces a high risk of the disease becoming more widespread. HIV/AIDS in Pakistan has now reached the stage of being an epidemic concentrated in certain segments of the population and efforts are needed to prevent the disease from becoming widespread within the general population. The three new partners will develop strong outreach and peer education programmes for eliminating or reducing risk behaviours.
In Karachi and Peshawar, the project will also establish confidential testing facilities for HIV and AIDS. In Turbat and Balochistan, the project will provide medical and emotional support for those already infected by HIV and AIDS.
In 2006, USAID awarded the 2.7 million dollar Pakistan HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care Project to Research Triangle International (RTI) and its subcontracting partner, Family Health International (FHI) to help stop transmission of HIV/AIDS among the most vulnerable segments of the population. Support for HIV/AIDS is part of the 1.5 billion dollar in aid that the US government is providing to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance.