Clinton Foundation, Indian Government Agree To Collaborate on HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention
The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative and India's National AIDS Control Organization on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to provide support for increased HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention programs, India's Sun Network reports (Sun Network, 9/30). The Clinton Foundation has agreed to help NACO develop and implement a patient information system, accreditation standards for HIV/AIDS care, overall program monitoring and evaluation, laboratory testing capabilities for antiretroviral treatment, training for health care workers and community mobilization efforts, according to a Clinton Foundation/UNAIDS release. The partnership between NACO and the Clinton Foundation will be in collaboration with UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the U.N. World Food Programme, UNICEF, the U.N. Development Programme, the World Bank and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Dr. S. Y. Quraishi, project director for NACO -- who signed the MOU with Ira Magaziner, chair of the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative -- said, "This partnership ... will go a long way in our efforts to prevent AIDS in India and strengthen the care and support program for people living with HIV." Former President Clinton said, "I am very pleased that the Indian government is demonstrating bold leadership in the fight against AIDS. Since India is one of the world's most populous nations, it is vitally important that we stem the spread of the disease." UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot said, "By scaling up access to HIV care and treatment, India will be one step closer to turning the tide on AIDS" (Clinton Foundation/UNAIDS release, 9/29).
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