HIV/AIDS (Hansard, 19 September 2002)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution her Department is making to the efforts to achieve quality epidemiology and behavioural surveillance in the fight against AIDS in Asia. [67481]

§ Clare Short
We are supporting major HIV/AIDS programmes in six countries in the Asia: China, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, and Bangladesh. We are also considering programmes in other countries eg. Pakistan and Burma.
In all cases a critical component of that work is more effective epidemiology and enhanced behavioural surveillance, particularly in the two most populous countries of China and India. We are seeking to integrate such activities into national programmes and thereby enable improved chances for sustainability.
Due to the weaknesses in knowledge about the nature and scale of epidemic, this is key to organising a more effective response to HIV/AIDS in the region.

§ Mr. Paul Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's plans to target resources at supporting HIV/AIDS projects in developing nations.[67866]

§ Clare Short
My Department's plans for supporting HIV/AIDS projects are outlined in theHIV/AIDS Strategy Paper which was published in May 2001. A copy is in the Library of the House.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2002,Official Report, columns 883–886W, what is meant by rights-based response to HIV/AIDS in Nepal; and if she will make a statement. [73294]

§ Clare Short
The UK has contributed £1.6 million to assist the Government of Nepal to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS into the general population, through interventions to stabilise and contain the concentrated epidemic among female sex workers and injecting drug users. These are vulnerable groups that are often harassed, stigmatised and have restricted access to services. The rights-based approach recognises the need to protect them from further marginalisation and discrimination, and to uphold their rights with regards to privacy, health and education.
The UK is also assisting the Government of Nepal with the development of its HIV/AIDS strategy for the next five years, and plans to make more resources available to implement the strategy.