CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) announced today that it is the recipient of a five-year, $5.9 million grant from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet the challenge of HIV/AIDS in Southern Sudan. With this grant, CMMB will launch the ANISA Project. ANISA means "together" in Zande. World Vision is partnering with CMMB in undertaking this project and will provide community outreach in HIV prevention and ensure that care and support is available for people living with HIV/AIDS.
This new initiative aims to reduce the incidence of new HIV infections through HIV testing and counseling, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and behavior change for prevent sexual transmission. The program will also improve care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS and strengthen the local capacity in Western Equatoria State (WEQ) to deliver health services related to HIV/AIDS.
CMMB and World Vision are working towards a rapid start-up of ANISA, and CMMB, who will lead the in-country project implementation, has announced plans to set up a functional field office in Yambio Country, Western Equatoria in November 2009. The ANISA team will be led by Dr. James Eyul, ANISA Program Director, who has extensive experience in HIV/AIDS and in working in Southern Sudan.
About CMMB
CMMB's roots were sown nearly 100 years ago, when its first volunteer ministered to lepers in Haiti. It was incorporated in 1928 and since then has worked collaboratively to provide quality healthcare initiatives, without discrimination, to people in need around the world.
In the latest fiscal year, CMMB HIV/AIDS programs reached 69,786 women with counseling and testing in high prevalence countries, provided short course antiretrovirals for HIV prevention in pregnancy to 1,940 women who tested positive, and tested 1,495 HIV-exposed infants. In addition, CMMB programs provided HIV counseling and testing to 11,198 men and reached 69,786 with prevention messages. Through the AIDSRelief program, CMMB reached 53,184 men, women and children with life-saving antiretroviral treatment and 120,001 with HIV clinical care and support.
Healing Help, its program of donated medicines and medical supplies reached 161 consignees in 39 countries and was valued at a record-breaking US$265 million for the latest fiscal year. Its 73 long-term and 475 short-term healthcare volunteers worked in 27 countries. More information is available at www.cmmb.org.
About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. World Vision has been combating global AIDS for two decades, and currently has AIDS programs in more than 60 nations which focus on innovative and compassionate care, prevention efforts and advocacy. For more information, please visit worldvision.org/press.
