In 1998, a severe HIV/AIDS epidemic broke out at Benghazi Children's Hospital. A total of 460 persons, mostly children, were infected, leaving a large number of families in distress. The Libyan authorities requested in this context the support of the EU. The “EU HIV Action Plan for Benghazi” (BAP), endorsed by the Council, several EU Member States, and the Libyan authorities, was launched on 3 November 2004 with the aim to assure appropriate medical care for the cohort of HIV-infected children and to support the establishment of a national AIDS programme in Libya. The medical care to the infected children cohort has been transferred to the Benghazi Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunology (BCIDI), equipped by the Libyan authorities.
Between 2004 and 2007, € 2.5 million have been provided in grants from the European Commission budget, through three successive BAP phases.
In 2007, the Libyan authorities requested the Commission to continue to support the process of BCIDI upgrading, in order to consolidate the substantial results achieved, to allow the BCIDI to become a centre of excellence and to roll out the expertise to other Health care structures within Libya. The authorities also demanded for policy advice in order to help with the design of the Libyan national strategy against HIV-AIDS. These requests have been formalised through a Memorandum signed by the European Commission and the Libyan Government in July 2007.
The fourth phase of BAP (BAP 4) started in December 2007, with a € 2 million budget. The overall objective of BAP 4 is to introduce a coherent and integrated methodology for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment starting from Benghazi, and progressively extending it to the whole country over the next few years. The programme is expected to strengthen the process of integration and harmonisation of care given to the cohort of infected children, with the care for the other HIV/AIDS patients in Benghazi. This process of integration, already initiated in the previous phases of the BAP, will develop positive synergies in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The BAP includes the following components :
- Upgrading BCIDI laboratory up to an international quality level and become a national reference centre.
- Upgrading the level of treatment in Benghazi and Libya to international standards.
- Strengthening the Management Information System for HIV/AIDS treatment.
- Strengthening blood safety procedures.
- Development of community awareness, prevention of stigma, compliance, and counselling to children and families.