USAID Provides $15 Million to the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda for HIV-AIDS Prevention, Care & Treatment Programs (09/13/06)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, will provide $15 million over three years to the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) for HIV-AIDS prevention, care and treatment programs.  U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Steven A. Browning will officially launch the programs on Thursday, September 14, at 3:00 PM, at IRCU headquarters (Plot 12B, Kafu Road, Nakasero, near the Fairway Hotel).  Leaders of Uganda’s major religious organizations are expected to be present at the launch ceremony, in addition to HIV-AIDS policymakers, medical practitioners and people living with HIV-AIDS.  

The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, a coalition of the five largest religious institutions in Uganda, was formed in 2001 in order to jointly respond to development challenges of common concern, including HIV-AIDS.  The new funding will enable IRCU to greatly expand HIV-AIDS services to local communities through its coordinated network of faith-based health units, non-governmental organizations, churches and mosques.  The health units affiliated with IRCU – currently offering over 40 percent of healthcare services in Uganda – will deliver the clinical components of the program.  Grassroots faith-based groups and religious institutions will also play a major role in expanding home-based care services.  IRCU will mobilize and train volunteers to facilitate the provision of intermediate HIV-AIDS care, support for anti-retroviral treatment adherence, and referrals for specialized care.

The contract with IRCU builds upon the already-established strong partnerships between the U.S. government and faith-based organizations in Uganda, dating as far back as 1991.  With assistance from USAID, some of the current IRCU partners – including the Islamic Medical Association of Uganda and the Church Human Services AIDS Program – were among the frontrunners in HIV prevention in Uganda.
 
For further information, please contact Alyson Grunder, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy (41/31-259-791 or email grunderal@state.gov).