US$ 55 Million to fight HIV in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone government has signed a US$ 55 million grant agreement with UNAIDS on behalf of Global Fund. Minister of Health, Miatta Kargbo and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe did the signing on Friday at the Miatta Conference Centre as part of ceremonies to mark International Women’s Day. “Sierra Leone is leading within the West African sub-region in the elimination of   mother-to-child transmission of HIV”, the UNAIDS Executive Director said in his remark before signing the agreement with the Minister of Health, Miatta Kargbo. Reacting to the agreement, the Director of the National AIDS Secretariat says the grant is the second and final tranche meant for the project. Speaking to Politico, Dr. Brima Kargbo says a funding of US$ 31 million for the first phase of the project had been released in 2010 because the proposal submitted for funding comprised two components – the HIV/AIDS component for the first phase and the health systems strengthening component for the second phase. He added that the health systems strengthening component of the project would focus on the improvement of laboratory services and health information systems, and support for salary of health workers and rural incentive. Dr. Kargbo said that funding for the entire project was for five years at the end of which another proposal would be submitted to the Global Fund. “Funding for projects is based on performance”, Dr. Kargbo noted, adding that the donors were pleased with the result of the first phase; hence “a timely release of the second tranche”. The Executive Director of Shepherd Hospice which provides palliative care for people living with HIV/AID said the grant was “a significant intervention” in the fight against the virus. Gabriel Madiya said that without such support for the country, the situation would be bleak for those living with the virus. He expressed the hope that as a major contributor to HIV response in the country, Global Fund would continue supporting the country.