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Zambia secures $100m from Global Fund

Zambia secures $100m from Global Fund
By Fridah Nkonde and Annet Bonan George
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:22 CAT

ZAMBIA has successfully secured US$100 million (approximately K538 billion) from the Global Fund under Round 8 Phase 2 to fight AIDS, TB and malaria after dry spells of funding owing to concerns on management funds.

During a press briefing at the Ministry of Health in Lusaka yesterday, Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde said the government would put in place a system or mechanism that would ensure transparency and accountability in the application of HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria resources.

"This could be an important year for the ministry in the fight against HIV and AIDS. We have had concerns for a long time. In particular, you all know that we have had issue of funding hovering above and against us during periods when we had differences with those who supported us. Recently, I think we began to see some evidence of the return of colleagues with whom we differed and the return of confidence in the ministry of health and its capacity to handle resources," Dr Kasonde said.

"We are not dealing with what we intend to do but what we did in order to justify the return of our partners including Global Fund. We are strengthening the chain through which funds go…who receives, how they allocate and by what process. So it has involved a number of links within that chain and we have agreed with all our partners and our funders have approved our present financial management chain," he said.

He said all contributors to the fund assured the country of its highest consideration and looked forward to continued good cooperation between the Global Fund and the Republic of Zambia.

"We can agree this is a great year for the Ministry of Health as most of the ambitions that have been set by ourselves, including an increased accelerated reduction in new cases, including total elimination of transmissions of mother-to-child are possible with support we will get from global fund. We are grateful," he said.

Dr Kasonde said Zambia was indebted to the Global Fund for restoring the support to the national HIV response which would see majority of beneficiaries receiving different services, particularly those in rural communities.

"The new window of hope comes in the backdrop of discontinuation of two principal recipients and transfer of their functions to the United Nations Development programme (UNDP) and Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) on an interim basis. The Global Fund has approved continuation of the Round 8 HIV phase 2 Grants for Churches Health Association of Zambia, Zambia AIDS Network (ZNAN) and Ministry of Finance and National Planning to run for three years with effect from July 2012," he said.

Dr Kasonde said Zambia had been a partner of the global Fund since 2003 and to date had had an approved budget of US$951 million with US$475 million disbursed to the country to fight HIV and AIDS, Malaria, and TB.

"Zambia was awarded US$192 million in round 1 in 2002 for all interventions (HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria). This has since been closed. US$43 million was also awarded in round 4 in 2004 for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and US$43 million for malaria. This round has since been closed. US$24 million was awarded for TB and US$37 million for malaria in round 7 in 2007 and this round is currently active. Round 8 in 2008 totalling US$292 million for HIV and AIDS including health system strengthening was also awarded and is currently active. The round 10 in 2010 for HIV and AIDS treatment totalling US$256 million is also currently active," he said.

And Dr Kasonde said funds from Global Fund would also be used in the male circumcision programme as it had been one of the most successful programmes in the country.

The Global Fund was established in 2002 as a unique public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB, and malaria.

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