Global Fund to Begin Distributing First Round of Grants by End of the Year

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has received $2.1 billion in pledges from governments, corporations and individuals, plans to distribute its first grants by the end of the year, according to an Associated Press. Richard Feachem, Global Fund director, said the fund has so far received only one-quarter of the pledged sum but that the amount should be enough to pay for the first round of grants. Tanzania, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Haiti will be among the first of the 40 nations that will receive $630 million in aid over the next two years (Associated Press, 10/7). The grant money in Haiti will be used for "comprehensive HIV care programs" and the provision of antiretroviral drugs. In Ghana, where fewer than 12 HIV-positive individuals currently receive treatment, the funding will be used to provide treatment for "thousands" of HIV-positive individuals, according to a Global Fund spokesperson (Reed, Bloomberg News, 10/6). In addition, Tanzania will receive $17.4 million to control the spread of HIV and malaria (Panafrican News Agency, 10/8). Feachem earlier this week announced that the Global Fund would enlist the assistance of auditing firms KPMG, Crown Agents and PriceWaterhouseCoopers to speed up the initial fund disbursement, reduce bureaucracy and paperwork and monitor the effectiveness of the funded programs (Panafrican News Agency, 10/8).