World Bank Approves $25M Grant To Create Central Asia AIDS Control Project

The World Bank on March 15 approved a $25 million grant to create a Central Asia AIDS Control Project in an effort to reduce the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies reports. The project aims to reduce the spread of HIV in Central Asia between 2005 and 2010; establish a regional fund to finance prevention and control initiatives past the end of the project; and promote increased cooperation in the region (Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies, 3/17). "A window of opportunity exists, as the epidemic is still in the early stages," Joana Godinho, task team leader for the project, said, adding, "But, unless urgent action is taken, the number of HIV cases will drastically increase by 2010, which will have a far-reaching socioeconomic impact." Godinho also wrote a recently released study on HIV/AIDS in Central Asia that "laid the groundwork" for the project, according to a World Bank release (World Bank release, 3/16). The study, titled "Reversing the Tide: Priorities for HIV/AIDS Prevention in Central Asia," found that "critical gaps" in the region's response to the epidemic -- including the non-integrated efforts to control injection drug use, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases -- will curb the efficacy of HIV/AIDS initiatives in the region (Study text, 3/21).