The World Bank has recently approved an International Development Association (IDA) grant of $5.5 million for the Moldova AIDS Control Project, which aims to reduce the mortality, morbidity and transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). UNAIDS estimates that 5,500 Moldovans were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2001.
The project forms part of the Moldova TB/AIDS Program, which is expected to receive parallel financing from USAID, the Global Fund and the Moldovan Government to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It is ground-breaking in that it is the first time that the World Bank has approved a grant for AIDS control in Europe and Central Asia. It is also seen as an example of best practice collaboration between the IDA and the Global Fund. The Project will focus on areas such as strategic planning and building institutional capacity for controlling HIV/AIDS and STIs, scaling up prevention interventions, providing treatment, care and support for HIV/AIDS sufferers, and project management and evaluation.