THE JAMAICA AIDS Support which only recently was on the brink of closure received a tidy sum of J$7.5 million yesterday to aid in its work.
The gift was made possible by the National STI/HIV programme through a grant from USAID and World Bank. Under the terms of the grant, the Jamaica AIDS Support will carry out a number of intervention over a one-year period. These include groups which are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS such as the prison population, commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men. The NGO is also expected to carry out care and support programmes for those persons living with HIV/AIDS.
PARTNERSHIP
According to Dr. Yitades Gebre the "grant reflects the continued partnership between the National Programme and Jamaica AIDS Support to stem the spread of the epidemic".
Dr. Robert Carr, Jamaica AIDS Support representative told The Gleaner that JAS was very appreciative of the grant.
"We were quite surprised, as you know this year had been quite difficult for us. We have had help from private sector and the general public, but this agreement is a major step forward for us in terms of keeping some of our programmes going, particularly the care and support of persons living with AIDS and especially the very poor among this group," he said.
