Global Fund to disburse almost 800 million dollars

Maputo, 11 Apr (AIM) – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has 789.3 million US dollars available to support, during the 2024-2026 period, the improvement of Mozambique’s National Health System, as well as to support the implementation of projects aimed at preventing HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The amount will also serve to improve the testing capacity for medicines, vaccines, and other biological products.

Since a further 91.8 million dollars will be disbursed by the Mozambican government, in total, 881.1 million dollars will be invested.

The amount that will be disbursed by the Mozambican government comes from the remainder that had been allocated by cooperation partners in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Global Fund’s financing framework includes four grants to be distributed among an equal number of entities, namely the Health Ministry, and the NGOs the Foundation for Community Development (FDC), the Health Collaboration Centre and World Vision.

According to the Global Fund’s Grants Manager, Mark Edington, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, in Maputo, the investment is expected to increase the coverage of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are receivingthe life-prolonging anti-retroviral treatment to 81% and reduce the number of girls, boys and young people involved in risky behavior.

Health Minister Armindo Tiago said that of the total amount, 475.2 million dollars will go towards projects to prevent and combat HIV. The fight against tuberculosis will take 57.2 million dollars, 190.3 million dollars will be spent against malaria, and 66.5 million dollars will go towards strengthening health systems.

“With these grants, Mozambique becomes the Global Fund’s second largest portfolio. This amount represents a privilege and, at the same time, a great responsibility. In this way, the government will continue to invest in control programmes and the National Health System”, he said.

According to Tiago, the Health Ministry introduced, as an innovation for the 2024/2026 period, the allocation of 8.5 per cent of total resources to strengthen the health system, compared to 7.5 percent in the previous triennium.

The Minister also released figures on HIV, revealing that between 2002 and 2022, the number of new HIV infections fell by 41 per cent.

The number of AIDS-related deaths per year has also fallen by 27 per cent and 1.7 million deaths were avoided. Tiago said that by 2023, 88% of people living with HIV knew their status and 85% of these had achieved viral suppression.

The Minister added that, from 2002 to 2022, deaths from malaria fell by 95 per cent, which the authorities attribute to the distribution of around 28 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

(AIM)

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