The Global Fund (TGF), an international organization dedicated to fight deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, has signed an agreement with Indian government under which the Indian government will get US $ 100 million for the phase 2 anti-AIDS programme in the country.

The MoU was signed by director, department of economics affairs, Prasant and executive director of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Dr Michel Kazatchkine, in New Delhi. The amount will be used to strengthen and scale up antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programmes throughout the country and to increase access to quality voluntary counselling and testing services. Resources will also be used to tackle stigma associated to the disease through efficient communication efforts and to train more health professionals.

Dr Michel Kazatchkine said that stigma and discrimination associated with AIDS in India were still delaying treatment and care for HIV- positive people, and preventing people coming forward for testing. "We are proud to continue funding the important work that is being done to provide care and treatment to people living with AIDS and to change social attitudes that leave so many vulnerable to stigma and discrimination. I urged the people of India to step forward and talk openly about AIDS," he said.

The new grant takes Global Fund's commitment to India to $492 million against the Indian demand of US $ 747 million.

"This is a very positive news for Indian's fight against AIDS and those people who live in the country infected with HIV or affected by the disease," Dr Ambumani Ramadoss, minister of health and family welfare, said.

Sujata Rao, director general, NACO, informed that out of total granted fund, around $ 14,819,772 had been proposed for the HIV/TB disease treatment, in which the signed grant amount was $ 2,667,346 and total disbursed to date was $ 2,185,472.