Global Fund grant $16m for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Moldova

The Global Fund will grant USD 16 million in 2008, for activities of prevention, treatment and assistance for people infected with HIV/AIDS, said the UNAIDS Finance and Programme Assistant Constantin Calancea during a press conference on July 18, also announcing the creation of a League for people living with HIV/AIDS. According to the cited source, UNAIDS offers technical assistance to organisations activating in this domain in Moldova since 2006, in particular with regards to the creation of the League which operates on the basis of 9 organisations related to the field. Although the legal identity of the League was registered only recently, for more than 6 months, common efforts enabled the organisation of a series of activities including informational TV programmes on HIV/AIDS and seminars to inform about work capacities in the field, etc. In the meantime, organisations presented and obtained the approval of financial support for projects from the “Soros-Moldova” Foundation. The President of the League for people living with HIV/AIDS, Igor Chilcevschi, declared that the creation of such an organisation was of crucial importance, taking into consideration the fact the HIV/AIDS is extending rapidly in Moldova and it becomes necessary and urgent to act towards the prevention of the illness. The main objectives of the League are the following: to ensure access to continuous, free of charge, antiretroviral treatment; to exclude discrimination towards these patients in medical institutions and to ensure access to treatment and medical care; to consolidate the right to socio-professional education and integration, etc. Concomitantly with the registration of the League, cooperation relationships will be consolidated with neighbouring countries and with organisations such as: the Union of Organisations for people living with HIV in Romania, The International Alliance for HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, The SIDA Global Alliance, etc. This will ensure access to best practices in the domain from all over the world, as well as active participation in prevention of the virus at the national and global level. Until 1995, 40 people infected with HIV/AIDS were registered in Moldova. According to official data, there are approximately 3749 people infected, including 333 new cases in the first half of the year. Unofficial statistics however suggest that approximately 28.5 thousand people are infected with HIV/AIDS in Moldova.