POKHARA: Representatives of various INGOs that have been working in prevention services of HIV/AIDS in Kaski district have disrupted a national programme for the same saying that they were deprived of the budget from the Global Fund.

They agitating group stopped the programme organised in Pokhara’s Lakeside-based Palace Hotel by Nepal Family Planning Organisation and Global Fund today.

After disrupting the programme, they tied black straps around their arms and organised a sit-in throughout the day outside the hotel.

More than 70 participants, who had come from various 28 districts to participate in the programme, watched the sudden twisting of the events, mouth agape. They later entered into their booked hotel rooms as no proceedings were possible.

The agitating representatives stopped the programme accusing the organisers of not providing the Global Fund budget to Kaski district but organising programmes here.

“They did not provide the Global Fund as if there are no more HIV victims in

Kaski district,” said Ukkal Bataju, advisor of Aankura Care Village and an HIV victim himself. “Ironically, they are organising programmes from the fund budget in Kaski.”

Gopal Shrestha, representative of National HIV and AIDS Federation, warned that they would allow no programme to run under the Global Fund budget in the district as the latter was discriminated.

Western regional coordinator of HIV and AIDS National Federation, Suresh Lama, also warned that they would impose a sort of ban on such programmes in Kaski until the budget of Global Fund would not be provided for Kaski.

When asked, Dr Pulakit Chaudhary, director, Global Fund project in Nepal, said he had no role since the programmes and grants under the fund were disbursed as per the policy of country coordination mechanism (CCM).

“We aren’t the one to decide whether or not to give the money or programme of the fund to a particular NGO,” Chaudhary said.

The CCM has provided seventh round budget of the Global Fund to three organisations in the country. Nepal based office of UNDP, Save the Children and NFPO have received the authority of expending around $34.6 million.

The NFPO is asked to launch its programmes in 28 districts, including six in western region.

It has been working in the area of HIV infection in gays, immigrant workers and their families.