Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

PAKISTAN: HIV programmes face funding crunch
20 Apr 2009 15:22:12 GMT
Source: IRIN
KARACHI, 20 April 2009 (IRIN) - Pakistan's efforts to combat AIDS face an uncertain future as funding for a major HIV/AIDS prevention and care project comes to an end this month.

The Pakistan HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project (PHAPCP), funded by USAID, was launched in February 2006 by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and implemented by Family Health International (FHI) in partnership with local non-governmental organizations in seven cities - Rawalpindi, Multan, Larkana, Lahore, Karachi, Turbat and Peshawar.

Pakistan has about 5,000 reported cases of HIV, according to government figures and although UNAIDS puts the actual number at about 96,000 it is still considered a low-prevalence country.

PHAPCP was part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus before it became rooted in the general population. It reached about 40,500 people considered at high risk of infection with prevention messages, provided diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to 1,800 people, and voluntary counselling and HIV testing to another 10,000.

Dr Naseer Nizamani, FHI's country director, told IRIN/PlusNews that PHAPCP had completed its three-year duration and activities would be discontinued "for a while", but "We are very hopeful that in the near future things will get back on track."

Shah Abdul Lateef Bhittai Welfare Society (SALBWS), an NGO targeting transgender people and men who have sex with men (MSM), is looking for other donors that will allow them to continue their HIV awareness activities. "Somehow, we cannot think of wrapping up," said project manager Agha Aurangzeb. "It's sad that USAID and FHI are no longer there with financial support; we remain optimistic."

Ayesha Zia, head of the Youth Welfare Association, a sister organisation of SLABWS that set up youth-friendly centres in a low-income area of Karachi called Orangi Town, commented: "One of the project outcomes was to reduce risky behaviour among the youth." She hoped donations from local people would allow the centres to continue  providing information on STIs, HIV and risky sexual practices.

At the New Lights AIDS Control Society (NLACS), also part of PHAPCP, Brother Khushi Lal, head of the Karachi office, told IRIN/PlusNews that the organization's goal was to empower people living with HIV so that they could take care of themselves and their families.

"As the project neared its completion, the global recession also reared its head in Pakistan," he said, noting that the lack of funding meant members now had to cover their own transport costs to attend monthly meetings.

"We have local donors who are willing to give, and though the amount is not as much as from the foreign funding, it does give us sustainability. In the meanwhile, we are willing to continue."

sj/ks/he

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org


AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article       Send comments

Emergencies

•  AIDS in Asia

•  Pakistan violence

•  AIDS pandemic

MORE >>

NGO latest

•  Ignorance Fueling HIV and AIDS Epidemic in Papua New Guinea
ADRA - International

•  CARE International receives nearly £5 million from the Big Lottery Fund for the fight against HIV and AIDS
CARE International - UK

•  CARE International receives nearly £5 million from the Big Lottery Fund for the fight against HIV and AIDS
CARE International - UK

•  How air travel can help combat Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS
World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe/ Central Asia

•  Getting Ahead: Building Community Resilience to Fight HIV&AIDS in Ethiopia
CARE International - UK

MORE >>

Latest news

•  PAKISTAN: HIV programmes face funding crunch

•  Ten killed in firefights across Kashmir

•  FEATURE-U.S. troops train to advise Afghan forces

•  Suicide bomber killed in Afghan governor's compound

•  Zawahri tells Muslims not to be fooled by Obama

MORE >>
IRIN news

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-20T150015Z_01_ISL07_RTRIDSP_2_PAKISTAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ISL07.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-17T142754Z_01_ISL12_RTRIDSP_2_PAKISTAN-TALIBAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ISL12.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-17T135112Z_01_ISL08_RTRIDSP_2_PAKISTAN-CLERIC_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ISL08.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-17T120123Z_01_ISL10_RTRIDSP_2_PAKISTAN-CLERIC_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ISL10.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-16T180244Z_01_NYK909_RTRIDSP_2_USA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/NYK909.htm

Women wear traditional burqas walk on the street of Pakistan's northwestern Frontier Province in Peshawar April 20, 2009. Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships killed 20 militants and residents, a military official ...



Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Mon Apr 20 15:22:52 2009