World Bank gives Zambia $20m fight HIV, AIDS

The money is in addition to the US$42 million already released to the Zambian government since 2003 for its HIV and AIDS programmes.

The World Bank has decided to hand over the money because of Zambia's impressive record on programmes that focus on the prevention of HIV infections, unlike other countries that have only focused on treatment.

Vice-President Phumaphi, who is in Zambia to attend a workshop for former African Heads of State on the HIV and AIDS pandemic, said Wednesday that Zambia was an ideal example for other countries in the Southern African region because it had handled the pandemic well.

The World Bank would take the lessons learnt in Zambia to other countries to help them improve their anti-HIV and AIDS strategies, she said when she met Southern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Aaron Zulu.

Vice-President Phumaphi said the World Bank valued its partnership with Zambia and was impressed with the progress the country had made in improving the economy and creating opportunities in uplifting people's standard of living.

Deputy Permanent Secretary Zulu said the province had tremendously benefited from the World Bank through the Community Response to HIV and AIDS (CRAIDS) which funded 115 projects of which 87 had been completed.

He said the CRAIDS projects were unique because they were run by community members themselves and this instilled a sense of ownership in them.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews