The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed an additional $80 million in funding to Avahan, its initiative to help combat the spread of HIV in India.
Founded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2003 and based in Delhi, Avahan works with the Indian government as well as 134 nongovernmental organizations to increase access to HIV prevention services in over 600 towns across six states in India, the foundation’s website said.
The funding will be added to the $258 million commitment that has already been given to Avahan, bringing its total funding from the Gates Foundation to $338 million.
"Prevention is absolutely essential for fighting HIV, and will ultimately save millions of lives," said Bill Gates, the Foundation’s co-chair. "I congratulate the Indian government for its leadership on HIV prevention, which can be a model for the rest of the world. Our foundation is committed to working with India over the long haul on a variety of critical health issues."
Since its inception, Avahan has already reported encouraging data that suggests lower rates of sexually transmitted infections in some of their targeted areas.
Last week, Gates traveled to Delhi to represent the Gates Foundation as it received the Indira Ghandi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for its "pioneering and exemplary philanthropic work around the world and in India in health." Gates also met with Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Union Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, to discuss India’s plans to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, according to the foundation’s website.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was founded in 1994 to address global health and community needs in the Pacific Northwest. Including their donations towards Avahan, the foundation has committed almost $1 billion toward health projects in India and almost $12 billion in grants toward global health initiatives.