World Bank Earmarks $17bn to Fight AIDS in Benin

Benin’s Health Minister, Dr Kessilé Tchalla, on Tuesday launched the multisectorial project to combat AIDS, strengthen the access to drugs and increase the use of the prevention facilities for the vulnerable and high risk groups.

The 17 billion dollars multisectorial project mainly funded by the World Bank to fight against AIDS will be implemented in four years and will cover the whole country.

As for the Minister Tchalla, the project will intervene in the country’s most remote villages to bring the information needed in reducing the impact of the AIDS pandemic at all levels.

“The project’s activities will help, by 2011, to increase each year from 10 to 600,000 the number of HIV-tested people and also provide antiretroviral care to 3,000 HIV positive women and psychosocial support to 10,000 people living with HIV”, he said.

With a 1.2% HIV/AIDS prevalence rate out of the 7 million populations, according to the demographic survey held in 2006, Benin only recorded 9,886 new infections in late December, which brings to 80,000 the number of people living with the HIV virus since the pandemic came into Benin in 1985, the National Programme to Combat AIDS (PNLS) said.

“With this low prevalence rate, Benin is not free from a spread of the pandemic unless harsh prevention measures are taken promptly nationwide”, he said.

Source African Press Agency

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