EU Commission continues assistance to Benghazi HIV-AIDS sufferers

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The European Commission has earmarked an additional €500,000 for continuing its support to Libya in its fight against the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Benghazi. This grant, that follows two successive disbursements of €1 million each in July 2005 and March 2006, will be used to consolidate the upgrading of the Benghazi Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunology (BCIDI) and to further support the development of a comprehensive strategy for delivery of equitable and effective HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care. The EU intends to continue supporting the Libyan Authorities in the development of a national AIDS programme. These interventions are part of the longer-term initiative: "HIV Action Plan for Benghazi". The Action Plan was launched by the EU in November 2004 and is being implemented by the Libyan authorities with support from the Commission and EU Member States.

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said "I am very pleased with the positive achievements of the Benghazi Action Plan so far. Thanks to the good co-operation with the Libyan health authorities, our contribution has helped in improving the quality of treatment at the Benghazi Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunology, but we also aim to contribute to the establishment of a national AIDS programme in Libya." The Commissioner also added: "I believe that these actions are very valuable in order to reinforce the climate of trust and partnership.

In the late nineties, more than 400 children and mothers have been infected by HIV/AIDS in Benghazi. Measures undertaken were not succeeding in bringing the BCIDI to the high standard of medical care needed to tackle such a massive epidemic or in raising awareness of the wider community to reintegrate patients and their families into society.

The €2 million grant package, made available by the Commission in two parts since July 2005, has been instrumental in providing policy advice to the Libyan government and health authorities at national and regional level and in giving technical assistance and specialist advice on the treatment of patients, systems for safe blood transfusion, laboratory analysis, hospital management and social reintegration of HIV-infected persons and their families into Libyan society.

In addition, the Commission funded intervention has also become relevant for the development of a national strategy for HIV/IADS prevention, treatment and care by introducing in Libya a model of multi-disciplinary approach against the epidemic. The model is now being adopted at the Jamahirja Hospital in Benghazi where other HIV sero-positive cases are treated.

Since July 2005, the funds have provided for an intensive schedule of technical support, on-the-job training in Benghazi and specialised training in Europe for selected Libyan medical staff. More than 20 European experts, together with their Libyan counterparts, have supervised medical care and re-assessed the cohort of infected children; re-organised the various hospital departments concerned with the epidemics and introduced a Management Information System; produced and implemented new laboratory guidelines and quality control procedures; performed psycho-social work sessions with families and local communities; designed national blood transfusion guidelines and a national HIV/AIDS survey. At least 40 Libyan experts have been trained either in Benghazi or in Europe.

In September 2006, the Libyan health authorities requested the Commission to continue to support the process of BCIDI upgrading in order to secure the substantial results achieved during the first two phases, and to continue to support the development of the National AIDS Programme. The new financial package will allow the consolidation of the past interventions. Several EU member States are also preparing measures to further contribute to the EU Action Plan for Benghazi.

For more information on the EU relationship with Libya:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/lybia/intro/index.htm

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