Bill Gates offers Rs 4.36 cr for NE AIDS plan

Health Column Vol. 3 Issue No. 27

May 16-31, 2007

Bill Gates offers Rs 4.36 cr for NE AIDS plan

Alarmed by the spread of the dreaded HIV Positive virus in the North-east, Microsoft chief Bill Gates has given Rs 4.36 crore for AIDS control programmes to Manipur and Nagaland. According to Government, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sanctioned the amount in the last fiscal for the two north eastern States. Manipur has been given Rs 577.60 lakh and Nagaland Rs 532.37 lakh.

The amount, however, is not significant because the World Bank and the Government of India during the same period have sanctioned Rs 71.83 crore for implementation of National AIDS Control Programme in the region, according to figures furnished by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Panabaka Lakshmi in the Rajya Sabha.Of the total sanctions, the largest chunk of Rs 2134 lakh has gone to Manipur followed by Nagaland (Rs 1625 lakh) and Assam (Rs 1351 lakh). The total contribution of World Bank for fighting AIDS in the North-east was Rs 6073.22 lakh.An outlay of Rs 95.50 crore has been allocated in the Budget estimate for the North Easter region, the Minister further added.

As on date, 235 NGOs are implementing different interventions in the NER and nothing adverse has been reported by State AIDS Control society, Lakshmi added.

The Minister was replying to questions about the performance of the NGOs in AIDS control.

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