The proposal has taken into account existing grants from the Global Fund as well as other sources of funding such as the World Bank HIV MDTF in the amount of US$36.75 million for a five-year period, 2007-2012, and is designed to complement funding from other sources supporting the HIV and AIDS sector. Specifically, significant funding has been obtained from the Global Fund Round 4 Grant (US$ 28.4 million over 5 years) and Round 5 Grant (US$ 27 million over 5 years). However, the Round 4 Grant has been limited to only twenty of the country’s ninety three counties and the Round 5 grant will only support HIV/Tuberculosis collaborative programs by the Ministry of Health. Given the high risk of rapid HIV transmission and limited investment in health and HIV and AIDS, the previous Global Fund support including the World Bank MDTF will not adequately address comprehensive HIV and AIDS interventions. This proposal therefore seeks additional resources for key strategic gaps in the multi-sectoral response. The primary objectives of the HIV and AIDS Round 4 proposal was to improve the knowledge and practice of HIV preventive measures by the general adult population, youth and vulnerable population sub groups; to develop and expand treatment, care and support services for PLHIV; and to build the capacity of New Sudan National AIDS Council (NSNAC), NGOs and local institutions to effectively manage and monitor HIV and AIDS programmes. This Round 9 proposal will in essence ensure continuation and scale up of interventions initiated under Round 4 and also under Round 5 for the HIV and TB co-infection interventions.

Providing health care services in Southern Sudan faces many challenges, including those associated with operating in a post conflict environment, poor human resources and organizational capacity in the public and private sectors, and weak monitoring and evaluation systems...