Gates foundation hikes AIDS grant to $200 million

 "The foundation has decided to increase its grant in India. This is the single largest commitment by the foundation to Aids and HIV prevention efforts in the world," said Ashok Alexander, director, India Aids initiative, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 Besides, the foundation also announced the release of its initial grants worth $67.5 million to various agencies in the country. The announcement to this effect was made today after the first board meeting of the India Aids initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 The foundation has identified two initiatives as a part of the focused prevention programme in the country. In the first part, known as the district focus state impact initiative, the foundation will support HIV prevention programme in the six highest incidents states of female and male sex workers and other high risk populations.

 The second initiative, called the national highway initiatives, will be implemented along the 7000 kilometer of major national highways in India covering interstate truck drivers and highway based sex workers.

 Under the first initiative, $17 million each have been granted to the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and $8.5 million to the highway project.

 To support the national highway initiative, the Transport Corporation of India and Indian Oil Corporation will implement sexually transmitted infections treatment, behavior change communication condom promotion and voluntary HIV counseling and testing.

 "This is the first instance in the history of HIV and Aids programme in India where such a wide ranging collation of partners will work together under a single nationwide project," Alexander said.

 With the beginning of the programme, the foundation is expected to announce the remaining grants in the next few months. "We are aiming to complete a large part of the grantmaking process within the next few months. Almost all the programmes identified by the foundation will move into implementation before the end of this year," Alexander said.