AIDS efforts get World Bank support

The World Bank has approved a US $5 million grant for anti-AIDS programmes in Burkina Faso, where the estimated HIV prevalence rate is 2.7 percent. In a statement, the bank said the funds would be used to reduce HIV transmission, strengthen capacity in providing care and treatment to HIV-positive people, and mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the disease on affected households and communities. Timothy Johnston, the bank's task team leader for the project, said: "The grant will provide assistance for multisectoral response, including financing anti-AIDS action plans, provincial AIDS committees and village microprojects in 13 pilot provinces, and support targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, implemented by experienced national and international NGOs." Although Burkina Faso is one of the world's poorest countries, it recently announced plans to have 15,000 people on anti-AIDS drugs by 2007