- Title: TOGO: Global fund grant to Togo to improve HIV/AIDS services
- Date: 22nd July 2009
- Summary: LOME, TOGO (JULY 21 2009) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) ELISABETH ASSIMA-KPATCHA, HEAD OF NGO "ESPOIR VIE TOGO", SAYING: "In Togo, the fight against AIDS has evolved, but we need make more progress, especially when we compare ourselves to other countries in the region, where caring for people living with HIV is much more advanced. For example, currently in Togo, we don
- Embargoed: 6th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Togo
- Country: Togo
- Reuters ID: LVAEAP0E8D8DVA7EE5OQ7KYM9G9A
- Story Text: Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, sings agreement worth 81 million euros, to fight against HIV/AIDS.
Togo's fight against AIDS gets a boost after the United Nations-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed a grant agreement with Togo worth 20 million US dollars over two years, the first part of a five-year grant that will allow the country to scale-up treatment and care for people living with HIV.
Togo is a country of 6 million people, of whom 130,000 are living with HIV/AIDS. Its rate of adult HIV prevalence is 3.3 percent. Although Togo had received funding from the Global Fund on two occasions in the past, subsequent requests for funding were not successful. As a result, the Global Fund put in place a continuation of services agreement to allow those under ARV treatment to continue receiving their medication.
Togo started distributing free of charge anti-retroviral drugs as of November 2008, meant to extent the lives of HIV/AIDS patients.
Patients who needs free drugs must register with local medical committees or NGOs such as "Espoir Vie Togo", which has helped many HIV/AIDS positive from all over the country, by providing health care, medical treatment and psychological supports.
"We get medicines for free but in terms of nutrition, it's very difficult. The state has to realise that nutrition is very important, we cannot take medication on an empty stomach," said a patient, receiving anti-retroviral drugs.
Anti-retrovirals cost between 3,000 and 25,000 CFA francs (47.53 US dollars) per month, which is costly for many HIV/AIDS patients.
"In Togo, the fight against AIDS has evolved, but we need make more progress, especially when we compare ourselves to other countries in the region, where caring for people living with HIV is much more advanced. For example, currently in Togo, we don t have the material that allows us to read the viral load," said Elisabeth Assima-Kpatcha, who is the head of the NGO, "Espoir vie Togo".
Part of the new grant will help to reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV among vulnerable populations, including through the use of communication campaigns, counseling and testing and the implementation of reproductive health care services.
"If you may remember, that years ago, the financial situation of Togo was really crisis. The number of patient were in danger of discontinuation of treatment and today's ceremony and signature is a result of joint efforts of whole partners," said Michel Kazatchkine, Executive DIRECTOR of Global Fund.
HIV/AIDS patients often face discrimination and stigma, and suffer in silence. Augustin Kokouvi Dokla, president of the HIV positive association of Togo says that more patients will now come forward.
"This is good news. Initially, we only had 8000 people and after discussions and negotiations, we can say that we now have 17 000 people on ARVs in Togo, it is great news for us," said Dokla.
The Global Fund is designed to attract, manage and disburse resources to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. Since its creation in 2002, it has approved 16 billion US dollars worth of funding in 140 countries. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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