UNDP Liberia Liberia   
Copyright UNDP/Liberia 2004

Liberia is tackling a steadily rising HIV-infection rate, which jumped from 8 per cent at the start of 2003 to approximately 11 or 12 per cent by the end of that year.
HIV/AIDS

Responding to HIV/AIDS

In order to effectively address the pressing HIV/AIDS epidemic, Liberia must respond with a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary approach. The capacity of Liberia's National AIDS Control Programme, established in 1987 under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has been limited due to 15 years of armed conflict. A 30-member National AIDS Commission was established in January 2000, with an advisory mandate for the fight against AIDS. But its capacity has also been limited as a result of the conflict engulfing Liberia.

With this backdrop and in an effort to help Liberia meet the enormous challenges posed by HIV/AIDS given its unique situation, UNDP has developed an HIV/AIDS programme, to be implemented by the National AIDS Control Programme, that includes the following main components:

• Institutional capacity-building for the National AIDS Control Programme and the National AIDS Commission, as well as assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS;
• Information, education and communication: a behavior-change communication strategy for vulnerable populations;
• Decentralization of HIV/AIDS interventions;
• Strategic planning and policy development