United Nations Radio

The Global Fund to Fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is providing $24 million to Russia to help fight HIV/AIDS in the country.

The money will extend a five-year grant to Russia's Open Health Institute awarded in 2004 to support its prevention programme until the end of December 2011.

The programme is targeting injecting drug users who receive outreach services, needle exchange, voluntary counseling and testing as well as condoms.

Vulnerable groups covered by the programme also include men who have sex with men, street children, migrants and prisoners.

The Global Fund notes that the AIDS prevention programme in Russia is making a significant impact in increasing awareness of the disease and reducing the transmission of the virus that causes AIDS.

Under the Global Fund's income eligibility policies, Russia is no longer eligible to receive funds to tackle AIDS.

However, the Board of the Global Fund decided to extend the grant to the Open Health Institute to avoid an emergency situation that would have arisen if funding were discontinued.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
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