HIV/AIDS Prevention Project launched

[March 27, 2003 - 9.30 GMT]

Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry today launched the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Project. The World Bank funding for the project is 12.6M US Dollars.

The primary objective of the project is to limit the spread of HIV infection in Sri Lanka among its highly vulnerable sub-populations and the population at large, without stigmatizing those engaged in high-risk behaviour.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga has advocated the active participation of youth and adolescents in the preventive programmes. In her message to mark today’s launch the President says;

“In every country in which HIV transmission has been reduced, improvements began with the involvement of young people in preventive programmes. Their participation is a key to success,” she also says, “Removal of stigma and discrimination and ‘breaking the wall of silence’ are very important.”

“It is urgent to accelerate the efforts towards control of HIV/AIDS through strong political will, widespread advocacy, community education backed by financial resources,” Minister of Health, P. Dayaratne said in his message to mark the event.

UNAIDS and WHO estimates that there are currently more than 5.8 million people living with HIV in South and South-East Asia. Sri Lanka has an estimated 8,500 people with HIV infection as of December 2000, with a prevalence rate of 0.07% among adults. 

World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka, Peter Harrold states that the World Bank is proud to be supporting the program, “The Project has the potential to move Sri Lanka away from the path taken by countries with full-blown epidemics, which failed to take sufficient preventative measures when the desease surfaced”.

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Last Updated Date: March 27, 2003  - 9.30 GMT.