Bangladesh Gets Global Fund Money for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Prevention

The overall national HIV/AIDS prevention goal in Bangladesh is to control the spread of HIV infection within vulnerable populations and to limit its spread to the general population, without stigmatizing the vulnerable populations. While programs and projects exist that are tailored for the vulnerable populations such as sex workers, injecting drug users, and men who have sex with men, adolescents are largely left out of prevention activities. Therefore, the specific goal of this project is the prevention of HIV infections in young people ages 15 to 24, to help to avert a generalised HIV epidemic in Bangladesh.

There are several specific project objectives. The aim of Objective 1 is to provide HIV prevention information, skills and services to young people aged 15 to 24 years old. The expected outcomes are that young people will have increased knowledge about HIV and how to protect themselves from infection. Additionally, an increased proportion of young people will have access to condoms, and to STI and other health services. There will also be improved commitment and support from policy makers, religious and community leaders, parents and teachers to allow and enable young people to receive HIV
prevention information and services.

Activities within Objective 1 include:

  • HIV Prevention Information to Young People through Mass and Print Media;

  • Life Skills education through Youth Organizations, Movements and Clubs;

  • Integrating HIV Prevention into Secondary School and Higher Secondary Curriculum;

  • Making Health Services more Youth Friendly;

  • Improving condom access;

  • Advocacy and Sensitization with Religious and Community Leaders and Parents; and

  • Advocacy and Sensitization with Policy Makers.

The aim of Objective 2 is to collect data necessary for policies and programmes for the prevention of HIV/AIDS among young people among young people aged 15 to 24 years old. The expected outcomes are that the impact of advocacy efforts and programmes will have been strengthened by the collection and use of relevant data on HIV/STI and risk behaviour among young people.

Activities within Objective 2 include:

  • Baseline and Evaluation Surveys; and

  • In-Depth Studies on Young People and HIV issues.

For more information on the Global Fund, please see http://www.globalfundatm.org/