KAMPALA, Dec 4 (AFP) - The United States on Thursday gave a Ugandan centre dealing mainly with HIV/AIDS research some 6.2 million dollars to help local organizations provide anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy, Health Minister Brigadier Jim Muhwezi said.
"It is a three-year programme under which the Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC), will launch ARV services in more than 20 public, private, and faith-based sites across Uganda," Muhwezi told AFP by telephone.
Muhwezi said an agreement for the funds was signed Thursday at a closed-door meeting between him, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Africa Connie Newman and JCRC Director Peter Mugyenyi.
JCRC is the largest provider of ARVs in Africa having cumulatively treated over 10,000 people with life-extending drugs and is recognized internationally as a centre for HIV research, training, advocacy, and service delivery.
Under the Timetable for Regional Scaleup of AR Therapy (TREATMENT) programme, the sites will be prepared to reach over 60,000 people in the next three years and focus on ensuring that all regions of Uganda are equipped to deliver services to clients.
The programme is the first of its kind in Africa and will ensure high-quality laboratory services, counselling services, an adequate supply of drugs provided at cost and strong links to community organizations to ensure that clients adhere to the treatment regimen.
"Uganda is at the forefront of global efforts in establishing a network of centres able to provide quality ARV services," a US embassy statement quoted Newman as saying.
The ceremony is part of events taking place before arrival in Uganda of US Secretary for Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson for a three-day, visit starting later on Thursday.
The support is part of US President George W. Bush's 15 billion dollar Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, aimed at treating two million people, prevent seven million infections and provide care to 10 million people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Since 1988, USAID has provided over 130 million dollars to Uganda, over 27 million for this year alone, to fight HIV/AIDS that has killed about a million Ugandans, over 70,000 of them killed last year.
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