World Bank Sets New Goals For AIDS Funding

(AP)  For the foreseeable future HIV/AIDS will remain an unprecedented economic, social and human challenge for sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank said Wednesday, calling the 50-nation region the epicenter of the disease and announcing a new strategy to fight the epidemic.

The bank said in a report that it was shifting from its initial emergency response role as the world's principal financier of HIV/AIDS programs toward a new mission that will help countries better manage their resources in dealing with the disease.

The bank also said it would commit to provide at least $250 million a year for HIV/AIDS initiatives based on country demand and establish a grant incentive fund of $5 million annually to promote analysis and health and education projects.

"With AIDS the largest single cause of premature death in Africa, we can't talk about better lasting development without also committing to stay the course in the long-term fight against the disease," said Elizabeth Lule, manager of the bank's AIDS Team for Africa.

The unit devised the strategy by consulting widely with African countries, people living with AIDS, U.N. agencies, non-government organizations and private companies.

The program will advise countries on how best to manage the complexity of the international financing they receive and strengthen monitoring and evaluation capacities of countries to track the efficiency and effectiveness of their HIV/AIDS response.

The strategy was laid out in a report called The World Bank's Commitment to HIV/AIDS in Africa - Our Agenda for Action, 2007-2011.

"After 25 years, it is time to apply the lessons of experience and scale up what is working," said Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. "With this Agenda for Action, the World Bank reaffirms its long-term commitment to assist partner countries" in combating the disease.

The report said that for every infected African starting antiretroviral therapy for the first time, another four to six people become newly infected, even though a handful of countries are reporting a decline in the disease.

About 22.5 million Africans are HIV positive, the bank said, and AIDS is the leading cause of premature death on the continent, especially among productive young people and women.

The bank said more than 60 percent of the people living with HIV in Africa are women, and that young women are more likely to be HIV positive than young men.

[gaye5]

bluestardad, I gather that this is why cancer has not been cured, there is tooooo much money being made from it, I believe from my scientist friends that there are very easy cures for cancer and not the deverstating ones that they push every cancer patient through either, but then there is not the money in that eh.

[gaye5]

Hey, what is going on here, cancer out kills people by far, and so does heart disease, but they spend this money on something which is self inflicted??????

[bluestardad]

INSTEAD OF CURING AIDS EVERYONE IS GETTING IN THE GAME OF MAKING MONEY OFF IT!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!