Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 19:

Representatives of the Nava Kiran Plus (NKP), a non-governmental organisation working on HIV awareness, demanded the government to take immediate initiatives to make sure that the Global Fund Observer (GFO) funds, meant for HIV patients and drug abusers, are not cut off. It organised a programme, Dollars for Drugs, in the Capital today to inform about its activities and announce new programmes.

"The funds being provided by the Global Fund Observer (GFO) may be diverted if a related proposal is not submitted by the government within 15 days," said Rishi Raj Ojha, president, Youth Power Nepal. He accused the government of not being far-sighted and maintaining silence on such a crucial issue.

Rajiv Kafle, the organiser of the programme, expressed his concerns about the increasing number of HIV patients in the country and highlighted future programmes. "The NKP will launch a series of advocacy campaigns to ensure that the needs of HIV patients are met by the end of 2004." Kafle, who is a HIV patient, said that NKP has called for external development partners, especially the WHO and the UNAIDS, to help the government launch HIV harm reduction programmes in the country. About 5,000 HIV patients out of 50,000 are undergoing rehabilitation treatment.