Staff Reporter
Karachi
Gilead Sciences on Thursday announced the recipients of its 2019 Gilead Asia Pacific Rainbow Grant program, a regional grant initiative that supports community-led programs for people living with HIV in the Asia Pacific region. This was the first time non-governmental or advocacy organizations in Pakistan were invited to submit their applications for funding. Of the 15 submissions received from Pakistan, Youth Association for Development is one of the three recipients selected to receive the grant.
Through this year’s program, Gilead is awarding a total of US$1.4 million to close to 40 projects across Asia Pacific. Of this over US $ 80,000 has been distributed across the three Pakistani recipients. Youth Association for Development (YAD) has received the grant to further efforts in their ‘Access to Quality Health and Life Program’ for people living with HIV/AIDS, youth, vulnerable population and people with high risk behaviours in district Quetta, Baluchistan.
Commenting on the grant, Atta ul Haq, Founder of YAD, said, ‘HIV/AIDS has become a disaster in Pakistan due to religious, customs, traditions, cultural taboo, bonded, barriers, hate, walls, stigma and discrimination by the society. The disease is spreading fast due to lack of access to services, guidance, treatment, testing, screening, counselling, and lack of information in Pakistan. There is dire need of time to consider HIV/AIDS as emergency in Pakistan.’
‘Keeping in mind this epidemic, we are going to improve access to quality health care with increasing demand and supply, respond, links, guidance, treatment, counselling and referral in order to increase 60% treatments and post treatment care and follow up in district Quetta. Along with this we also aim to improve access, demand and supply of quality health care through engagement of HCP, communities, stakeholders and youth of district Quetta by 40%.’
