GEORGETOWN, Dec 3 (AFP) - Germany on Friday gave the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) a six-million euro grant to help the region intensify the war against HIV/AIDS among the poor through education and increased condom use.
"This particular programme has a special focus as it targets the sexually active population particularly among the poor and especially HIV high-risk groups," Caricom Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhite said.
There are at least 500,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean but Guyana and Haiti are the two most affected countries with prevalence rates of 6 and 2.7 percent respectively.
The Germany-funded project would use education, teaching, information campaigns, prevention measures and the purchase and sale of condoms as weapons against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Counselor of the Germany's Embassy, Erik Tintrup, however, said the "implementing organisation still has to be identified and commissioned" before the project begins.
The money would be funnelled through the Pan Caribbean Partnership (PANCAP) against HIV/AIDS to Caricom member-countries.
Caricom is made up of 12 former British colonies, one British colony, Haiti and Suriname.
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