K381 billion for HIV, malaria fight
The fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria received a major boost this week when Global Fund announced a K381 billion allocation to Malawi.
The amount totaling $512 939 077 will support the country’s HIV, tuberculosis and malaria Malawi Building Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) programme.
Greater access to medicine, backed by cash from the Global Fund, has helped slash Aids-related deaths in the country where HIV and Aids has been blamed for 59 percent of deaths among those aged 15 to 59 years.
In a letter dated 16 December, 2019 signed by the Global Fund’s Grant Management Division head Mark Eldon-Edington in Geneva to Malawi’s Ministry of Finance said the utilisation period for the funding is from January 2021 to June 2024 and Malawi must now submit applications for the funding.
“All funding requests are required to be developed through inclusive and transparent country dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders including key and vulnerable populations,” reads the letter in part.
In the new allocation, HIV has been allocated $393 004 813 (over K285 billion), tuberculosis $19 950 195 (over K14 billion) while malaria has $99 984 069 (over K72 billion). The letter further says accessing funds is dependent on meeting the Global Fund’s co-financing requirements of which Malawi is expected to progressively increase on overall health spending in accordance with recognised international declarations and national strategies.
