A new agreement reached in Zimbabwe by the UN Development Programme (UNDP)
and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is set to provide a
major boost in the fight against HIV and AIDs in the country, which is among
the hardest hit by the virus in sub-Saharan Africa.
The announcement, made as the two organizations signed an 'Implementation
Letter', will see US$ 126 million added to the Global Fund's existing HIV grant
in Zimbabwe. The existing grant, agreed with UNDP in 2013, saw US$ 311,175,241
in funding established to support the Government of Zimbabwe in their national
response to HIV and AIDS.
The AIDS epidemic is particularly acute in Zimbabwe, with a prevalence rate
of 15 percent among adults aged 15-49 years.HIV treatment has seen a dramatic
increase in Zimbabwe, with almost three quarters of a million people receiving
medication in 2014, up from 566,000 in 2012.
The additional funding will allow UNDP to bolster its efforts combatting the
disease, with a new target of 894,000 people receiving HIV treatment. It will
also contribute to improved quality of care, reduce new infections and keep
people alive, further promoting sustainable human development in the country.The
project is now estimated to save more than 58,000 lives per year in avoided HIV
mortality.
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in
2013 there were 35 million people living with HIV globally, with 13.6 million
having access to antiretroviral therapy as of June 2014.
SOURCE
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