Two major projects of United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) to extend food and nutritional support to HIV/AIDS affected people will be operational by the year 2006.

The WFP/NACO Technical Assistance Programme, under an agreement signed between the Indian government and WFP to provide nutritional support to people living with and affected by HIV in conjunction with other HIV-related services (e.g. VCT, ART, DOTS, and home based care) is waiting for official nod, as the organization has completed the framework for the project by April 2005. The organization expects to commence the project within two months, and is waiting for the government clearance to fix up an exact time for project launch, according to sources.

As per the agreement, WFP would provide technical assistance to NACO to design and implement nutrition and food based interventions in support of HIV-prevention, treatment, and care and support efforts.

A project proposal was developed for a model nutrition project in Tamil Nadu, as an initial stage of the technical assistance project, which aims to build the capacity of government officials and care givers to deliver nutritional support to 79,000 people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, in partnership with the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society.

Nutritional guidelines would be developed and caregivers and counsellors would be trained to provide appropriate nutritional guidance for people living with HIV, under the project. HIV-programme managers and government officials would also receive training in managing food-based programmes, including targeting, tracking food, and measuring impact. The sources added that the funding for the project is still being worked out and will be finalized within a short period.

The project implementation of Nutritional Intervention for HIV positive people in Bihar, funded by Pfizer foundation, to carry a 21 month nutrition project for HIV positive people will begin in August 2006, as the preparatory phase began by the month of February 2006.

The project, carried at the Nazareth Hospital, Bihar and run by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth is targeted to provide nutritional supplements and counselling to HIV-positive people in order to improve their nutritional status, health outcomes and quality of life. The WFP found that the vast majority of HIV positive people who use the services of Nazareth Hospital are very food insecure and malnourished. Sources informed that though the project will be finished by October 2007, the WFP would look for additional funding to continue it.

"The complex and significant interrelation between malnutrition, food insecurity and HIV/AIDS has lead the WFP to inquire about providing food and nutrition along with and to support ARV therapy," Gian Pietro Bordignon, WFP Country Director, India told Pharmabiz. It should be noted that without good nutrition, anti-retroviral drugs are not as effective, as they should be taken on a full stomach, he added.

According to the studies and reviews conducted by WFP, malnutrition and food insecurity may contribute to the spread of HIV by increasing susceptibility to infection and compelling people to adopt risky survival strategies to feed their families. Malnutrition accelerates the HIV's progression. HIV worsens malnutrition. Food aid allows HIV-sufferers to survive longer - and transfer farming knowledge to the next generation, says studies.