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Family Health International |
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Gates Foundation Grant to FHI to Strengthen Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS -- July 24, 2004 |
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NEW DELHI — Avahan, the India AIDS initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, today announced a grant of up to $1.5 million over five years to Family Health International (FHI) to provide technical assistance to the Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+) to strengthen their involvement in the national response to the epidemic. Ashok Alexander, Director of Avahan and Dr. Peter Lamptey, President of the FHI Institute for HIV/AIDS, launched the project with K.K. Abraham, President of INP+; Kousalya Periasamy, President of the Network of Positive Women Network (PWN+); and leaders of five of the state-level networks: Manoj Pardesi, Maharashtra; Elango Ramachander, Karnataka; Abinoloatha, Nagaland; Rama Pandiyan, Tamil Nadu; and G. Swapna, Andhra Pradesh. "People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) have a critical role to play in HIV/AIDS programs," said Dr. Lamptey. "This grant will build the capacity of INP+ members to be powerful advocates against stigma and discrimination in India." FHI recently recognized the achievements of INP+ with the 2004 Access Award, presented to INP+ President K.K. Abraham at the International Conference on AIDS in Bangkok. Abraham remarked, "This grant means that PLHA will have a central role in the Avahan India AIDS Initiative. This long-term support will strengthen the existing state and district networks." Through the grant, FHI will support INP+ to build the capacity of six state-level and 20 district-level networks in the most HIV-affected states in India: Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Nagaland, Manipur and Andhra Pradesh. The grant aims to strengthen the voice and organizing capacity of PLHA at the local, regional and national level to fight stigma and discrimination and to advocate for issues such as better access to care, support and treatment. FHI will provide technical support in advocacy, management and training programs to the six state networks, district networks and the Positive Women's Network (PWN+). INP+ represents over 10,000 PLHA with chapters in 13 states and 58 districts in India. INP+ was formed in 1997 to advocate for the rights of PLHA and improve access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services. The organization has advocated at the national level to ensure greater involvement of PLHA in policy and programs, and also played an important role in influencing the Indian government's decision to make antiretroviral (ARV) drugs available at no cost in six high prevalence states. In response to the announcement of support, leaders of the state and national INP+ movement emphasized the vitality that increased visibility for PLHA has brought into the fight against HIV/AIDS in India. Manoj Pardesi, President of the Maharashtra Network of PLHA noted that the funding will nurture local networks, and thereby help make "the epidemic real for even a common man living in rural India." Continued support and capacity building are critical inputs for INP+. According to Kousalya Periasamy, President of PWN+, "Sustainability has always been the issue for positive people networks. Continuity in funding support and capacity building will enable the increased involvement of women living with HIV." Elango Ramachander concurred that "As this support comes in time when ARV programs are initiated by the Government of India in high prevalence states, capacity building of PLHA can complement and enhance the efforts of government initiatives." "A keystone of Avahan's program is advocacy, and building the strength of the positive peoples' networks in India to be better advocates is critical to creating a favorable environment for HIV prevention and care efforts in India," Alexander said. There was a moment of silence observed for Lila Banta Singh, the President of the Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+), who passed away on July 22nd. Abraham said, "Lila Banta Singh's journey from being a person living with HIV to president of MNP+ and then to board member of GNP+ has been very motivating. People living with HIV in India and other parts of the world will always remember him for his intense activism and vision. He has been a great crusader fighting for the rights of PLHA and injecting drug users in India. One cannot forget his gentleness as well as the strong commitment in changing the lives of PLHA in India. His death is a great loss to the movement of people living with HIV in India. With a heavy heart, INP+ conveys its condolences to his family members and PLHA in India." #### Avahan ("call to action") is a $200 million grant making initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that supports programs working to prevent the spread of HIV in India.The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to promote greater equity in four areas: global health, education, public libraries, and support for at-risk families in Washington state and Oregon. The Seattle-based foundation joins local, national, and international partners to ensure that advances in these areas reach those who need them most. The foundation is led by Bill Gates's father, William H. Gates, Sr., and Patty Stonesifer. For more information: www.gatesfoundation.org About FHI: Media Contacts: Kathleen Kay Lisa Hunter |
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