Date:27/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/27/stories/2004072701040400.htm

Back $1.5-m grant for AIDS cause

Our Bureau

New Delhi , July 26

AVAHAN, the India AIDS initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has announced a grant of up to $1.5 million over five years to Washington-based Family Health International (FHI) to provide technical assistance to the Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+) to strengthen their involvement in response to the epidemic.

The fund will be used to strengthen the INP+ network and expand it to several States and districts, help in improving advocacy programmes and improve administration of not only its offices but the various programmes.

According to Mr Ashok Alexander, Director of Avahan, the money is being routed through FHI and not being given directly to INP+ because "we expect the FHI to add value to the services being provided by INP+".