AEGiS-15IAC: The impacts of Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in access to care for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWA) in countries with limited ressources : Burundian experience.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

The impacts of Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in access to care for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWA) in countries with limited ressources : Burundian experience.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10319)

Nduwarugira C, Nduwimana J, Wakana J, Mbonihankuye D, Barihuta T, Ndayishimiye F
Permanent Executive secretariat of NAC/GF Project, Bujumbura, Burundi

ISSUES: In Burundi, the first case of AIDS was described in 1983. Today, the AIDS epidemic represents the major cause of death among adults and is a significant cause of death among children. Unfortunately, over so many years ago, access to treatment for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWA) was considered as a favour for many reasons: 1) A lot of Burundian people are poor; The health care system is not well organised, and few donors were interested in ART. Since 1992, some local NGOs have tried to do their best to support PLWA with little resources by counselling, social services and prophylactic treatment for some opportunist infections but with verry little results. Until 2002, only 600 PLWA were under anti retroviral therapy (ART) out of 25000 who need treatment.

DESCRIPTION: The Burundian government has prepared and submitted a proposal to the Global Fund/ATM titled "Strengthening the Burundian Initiative in the field of prevention and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS" which was accepted in the first round. The principal recipient of this project is the Permanent Executive Secretariat of the National AIDS Council. During the project duration (3 years), this program will implement 4 components related HIV/AIDS: 1) Improving the overall treatment of PLWA; 2) Improving the prevention of mother to baby transmission; 3) Strengthening the capacities of the national NGOs and community-based organisations; 4) Annual external assessment of the project as a whole, not only in Bujumbura city but also in secondary towns of the country.

LESSONS LEARNED: The implementation of this project providing ART, care and support to PLWA has been an opportunity for the health care system, local ONGs and the community to build their capacities in the field of fighting AIDS epidemic in Burundi. Recommandation: As this project covers only 10% of the persons who need treatment, Burundi has to develop rapidly a new proposal to submit to Global Fund and other donors.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, Tuberculosis, Financial Management, HIV Infections, Malaria, Organizations, Infection, Delivery of Health Care, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active, Anti-HIV Agents, Health Services, Burundi, Adult, Infant, Child, economics, organization & administration, therapy, drug therapy

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