12,000 to receive ART through grant to Myanmar programme

The Union's Integrated HIV Care (IHC) programme in Myanmar has received funds that will enable it to expand activities designed to decrease HIV-related morbidity and mortality in a substantial number of HIV-infected adults and children. Some 12,000 patients will receive antiretroviral treatment (ART) through the grant, which comes from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) via the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Myanmar.

The IHC programme also aims to strengthen support for TB/HIV collaborative activities, and to prevent HIV mother-to-child transmission through the provision of triple drug therapy to all HIV-positive pregnant women.

As part of the five-year agreement, The Union is collaborating and working with the government sector, namely the Myanmar Department of Health. All activities supported by The Union are implemented in, by and with the public sector. Programme partners include the National Tuberculosis Programme and the National AIDS Programme, who in turn operate out-patient departments in seven township health centres, township hospitals, district and tertiary hospitals.

The IHC programme serves the city of Mandalay and its seven townships, as well as townships in Pakokku, Lashio, Taunggyi, Monywa, Myeikhtila and Myinchan. Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar with a population of over one million people.

As of April 2011, the programme had enrolled 9,733 patients; 7,493 of whom are on active follow-up, and 5,609 of whom are currently on ART (Table 1). Over the course of this project some 12,000 patients, on active follow-up, are expected to receive ART by the end of 2015.

The grant agreement was signed in April 2010, but project activities began in January 2011 and will run through December 2015.

Table 1: April 2011 IHC Programme Monthly Report. Total patients on ART in the Integrated HIV Care program in Myanmar.