HIV/AIDS Prevention Project

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The HIV/AIDS Prevention Project seeks to prevent a widespread HIV/AIDS epidemic, and from becoming established in vulnerable populations, as well as to avoid further stigmatization among vulnerable populations. The main components will: 1) expand interventions among vulnerable populations, by supporting HIV prevention services to vulnerable groups, particularly those people living in large cities. This would include behavioral change through information communication, promotion of effective condom use, counseling and HIV testing, and proper management of sexually transmitted diseases. Small grants will be made available to build capacity of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and institutions working on HIV/AIDS, to allow development of a track record so as to increase their role in HIV prevention, and, to develop improved testing, innovative approaches, and operational research; 2) improve HIV prevention by the general population, which comprises a behavior change communication, to be coordinated between the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) and provincial programs to undertake behavior changes towards the use of condoms, of sterile syringes, blood donation, and transfusions, and caring behaviors towards people affected by the epidemic, based on targeted interventions, and improved management of sexually transmitted infections (STI); 3) prevent HIV/STI transmission through blood transfusions, by building the capacity of provincial blood transfusion authorities, implementing a quality assurance system, blood screening, and, adequate waste management; and, 4) strengthen federal, and provincial AIDS control programs, build NGOs' capacity through technical assistance and training, support second generation HIV surveillance, and evaluation, and, support caring for people living with AIDS.