A three-year (2008-2010) programme document on "Developing National Capacities to Address HIV/AIDS in Yemen (Phase-II)" was signed on Monday by Yemen and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Saba reported. In a press release of UNDP, the $10.6 million programme document, which is financed by the Global Fund, aims at supporting the Government of Yemen to maintain HIV prevalence rate amongst the general Yemeni population and high risk and vulnerable groups be stabilized, and the internationally recognized rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs), including entitlement to humane medical care, are upheld by 2010. The programme document was signed by Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi and the Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Yemen Dr. Selva Ramachandran. The programme also aims to increase coverage of HIV/AIDS- safe blood for transfusion, and to establish and enforce national blood safety standards. Moreover, the programme will build national capacity in the health sector and other sectors to address HIV/AIDS in Yemen through scaling up of activities in the areas of awareness raising among leaders at all levels, the general population and the already identified high-risk and vulnerable groups.
