UNHCR to launch HIV/AIDS awareness project

With support from UK's Department for International Development (DFID), UNHCR has started a new project for strengthening HIV and AIDS services among the conflict-affected populations in Nepal.

A statement by UNHCR Nepal said the six-month project will be implemented by the General Welfare Pratisthan (GWP), Knight Chess Club (KCC), and Maiti Nepal in six districts – Ilam and Panchthar in the east and Dang, Jumla, Banke and Jakarkot in the mid-west.

The statement quoted UNHCR Nepal representative Abraham Abraham saying "This new programme is a result of a joint UN assessment undertaken in November 2006 in Banke, Ilam and Kathmandu, and I am confident that together with these NGO partners, we can better respond with respect to the protection and prevention of HIV/AIDS."

The assessment which sought to identify measures to prevent and respond to HIV/AIDS among conflict-affected populations revealed that there is a pressing need for better coverage of HIV prevention activities in at-risk populations, regardless of any link during the conflict or the now post conflict situation.

GWP will be working towards HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention programme for Female Sex Workers and Hoteliers in Banke district, KCC will be working for the Injecting Drug Users and establish two Drop-In-Centres and one Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre (VCT) in Ilam district, and Maiti Nepal will run HIV/AIDS awareness programmes in Dang, Jumla, Jajarkot, Ilam and Panchthar districts. nepalnews.com ia Oct 16 07