By Tione Andsen
Salima, Mana: Global Fund has approved new grants to continue fighting against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the country amounting to US$524 million.
Minister of Health, Khumbize Chiponda disclosed this Thursdays at Sigelegele Beach Resort in Salima during a Media stakeholders updating meeting on implementation of Global Fund and Gavi Grants in the country in Salima.
She said the grants would run for three and half years from January 2021 to June 2024.
The Minister She said these grants would be jointly managed by the Ministry of Health and World Vision Malawi (WVM).
Chiponda hailed Global Fund for remaining a faithful partner to the country’s fight against the three diseases since 2003.
She said cumulatively the country has accessed and utilized financial support from Global Fund worth US$1.6 billion to date.
“My Ministry was selected as Principal Recipient and started managing Global Fund grants in 2016 under what we call “New Funding Model 1” (NFM1),” Chiponda pointed out.
She said during the New Funding Model 1, the country received grants worth US$314 million implemented from 2016 to 2017.
“In 2018, the country started implementing NFM2 worth US$ 465 million. This was towards the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria including building resilient sustainable systems for health (RSSH).These grants are coming to an end this month of December 2020,” the Minister disclosed.
She said Ministry wants to engage the Media to appreciate on how the resources have been utilized.
Chiponda commended the Media for being instrumental in bring awareness messages among communities that have positive impact to them.
Director of Information, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi stressed the importance of Ministry of Health to create synergies with the Ministry of Information in order to jointly fight malaria, tuberculosis and HIV in the country.
“Editors should be in a position to work with Ministry in order to deal with the challenges being encountered as a nation to contain the diseases,” he said.
Over 26 Editors drawn from public and private attended the meeting.
