New Delhi: The National AIDS Control Organization (Naco) has termed the third phase of the National AIDS Control Programme an “investment plan” toward reversing the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the country, director-general Sujatha Rao said.

Speaking at a conference in Delhi on Friday, 29 June, she said Naco will spend 70% of the Rs11,585 crore programme on prevention of HIV/AIDS. She said projections show that if AIDS prevention programmes remain at current levels, the number of HIV/AIDS patients in India will rise to at least 6.5 million by 2012 from the present official estimate of 5.2 million.

Meanwhile, UK’s Department for International Development (DFID)—the largest provider of bilateral aid to India—said it will double its funding for the third phase of AIDS prevention and treatment to £102 million (Rs816 crore).

The funds will be pooled with $250 million from the World Bank which is expected to sign off its portion shortly, said Susanna Moorehead, the head of DFID’s operations in India.