World Bank Approves US$6.4 Million For HIV/AIDS Prevention And Treatment In St. Lucia

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2004 - The World Bank announced today the approval of US$6.4 million in financing to reduce HIV infections, provide treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), and strengthen institutional capacity for HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities in St. Lucia.

“Financing from this project will scale--up St. Lucia’s National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, and provide treatment and care for people living with the disease,” said Caroline Anstey, the World Bank’s Director for the Caribbean.

The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project will support St. Lucia’s National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2003-2008, which focuses on the following areas:

·              Advocacy and policy development;

·              Comprehensive HIV/AIDS care for all people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA);

·              Prevention of further transmission of HIV; and

·              Strengthening national capacity to deliver an effective, coordinated multi-sector response.

Bank financing will support expansion of programs for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment  including: information, education and communication/behavior change communication activities through various media; voluntary counseling and testing; the distribution of condoms (through the Government’s health care network the public sector and Civil Society Organizations), and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS. The project will also support:

Community and Civil Society initiatives. Civil society organizations, such as Non-Governmental Organizations, Community-Based Organizations, Faith-Based Organizations, and the private sector will be eligible for grants in areas such as behavior change communication, voluntary testing and counseling, and care for people affected by HIV/AIDS. The project will also support capacity building of the Civil Society Organizations in technical areas such as HIV/AIDS behavior change communication and home based care for PLWHA, program management, in addition to the provision of essential equipment and supplies.

Strengthening the Government multi-sectoral response. All Government Ministries will be expected to identify and implement HIV/AIDS programs for the population groups that they are responsible for in accordance with their sectoral mandates.  For instance, the Ministry for Home Affairs –  would work on policies and programs for  prisoners, juvenile delinquents and other populations potentially at risk. They would also adopt work place policies and programs for their own staff.

Improving treatment, care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS.  The project will support the expansion of health services for HIV/AIDS including voluntary testing and counseling, treatment and care.  Pharmaceuticals including anti-retrovirals, equipment and supplies, and test kits will be provided. Programs such as home-based care and nutritional support will be scaled-up, as well as programs to prevent mother to child transmission. Guidelines and protocols will be developed and updated to improve the management, treatment, and care of PLWHA.

Strengthening Program Management; Monitoring and Evaluation and HIV/AIDS Policy and Legislation. The project will support Government agencies responsible for coordinating the National HIV/AIDS Program: namely, the National AIDS Multi-sectoral Coordinating Council and the National AIDS Program Secretariat.  It will support technical advisory services, training, staffing, goods and financing for monitoring and evaluation.  The project will also support the country’s efforts to update its legal framework to ensure that policies promote full equality and dignity under the law, without discrimination or stigma.

St. Lucia is the eighth country to draw from the World Bank’s $155 million Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Adaptable Program (MAP) Lending. The MAP program has also made financing available to Barbados (2001), The Dominican Republic (2001), Jamaica (2002), Grenada (2002), St Kitts and Nevis (2003), Trinidad  and Tobago (2003), Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (2004) and Guyana (2004).

Financing for the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project consists of a US$3.20 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), an SDR 1.15 million (US$1.6 million equivalent), zero-interest credit, and an SDR 1.15 million (US$1.6 million) equivalent grant from the International Development Association (IDA).  The IBRD loan is repayable in 15 years, including five years of grace. The $3 million IDA credit is repayable in 30 years, including ten years of grace.              

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For more information about the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project, click here.

For more information about the World Bank’s work in HIV/AIDS, please visit:http://www.worldbank.org/lacaids