Manila, May 24, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - An Asian Development Bank (ASX: ATB) grant of US$15 million is supporting a new project to help the Government of Papua New Guinea control and stabilize the spread of HIV/AIDS infection in the country.
The project - for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in Rural Development Enclaves - seeks to attain higher levels of coordination among government, private sector, development partners, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations, private sector organizations, and affected communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
It will focus on rural areas where communities are centered on mines, plantations, fisheries, or other private sector operations.
"These rural development enclaves are high risk areas for HIV's spread," says Philip Erquiaga, Director General of ADB's Pacific Department. "Addressing the problem in such places represents a great opportunity to stem the disease's spread."
As of mid-2004, around 47,000 people were infected with HIV virus in Papua New Guinea, which has reached an advanced and critical stage in its infection patterns.
"The 15-30% annual increases in infection rates are similar to those of the early stages of HIV spread in sub-Saharan Africa," says John Izard, an ADB Project Specialist. "As an urgent and long-term response is needed to contain the epidemic, the Government requested that ADB provide this grant for a project that would control the disease in rural HIV/AIDS hotspots around the country."
The project will help the Government initiate partnerships with the private sector operators at such communities to set up or improve primary health care and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention facilities. At least four sites will be initially chosen, with more to be added later.
The partnership arrangements will be designed to upgrade clinics and health facilities, and provide medical equipment and supplies, and vehicles for community outreach and emergency transport. An important element will be coordination and support for the work being carried out by technical agencies such as World Health Organization and UNAIDS.
Another important element of the project will be to work with community and NGOs to bring about long-term behavioral change and monitor progress.
"Changing high-risk behavior requires that affordable, high quality condoms are available nationwide," adds Mr. Izard.
"ADB's pooled funds with those of our cofinanciers for this project - the governments of Australia and New Zealand - will contract a non-profit company to market and distribute condoms for an initial four years."
Support will also be given under the project to strengthen Papua New Guinea's currently limited HIV/AIDS surveillance system, which will be developed and expanded to cover the local facility level.
The project's total cost is estimated at $25 million, of which Australia and New Zealand are providing $3.5 million each. The remaining $3 million comes from the Government of Papua New Guinea. ADB's grant is provided from its Asian Development Fund, which provides concessional loans and grants for its poorest developing member countries.
Papua New Guinea's National Department of Health is the executing agency for the project, which is due for completion around the start of 2010.
Contact
David Kruger
Email: dkruger@adb.org
Tel:+632 632 5204; +63 916 767 3671
Graham Dwyer
Email: gdwyer@adb.org
Tel:+632 632 5253; +632 898 3413; +63 915 741 4363
| ||
|
