Myanmar Plans To Launch Substitute Fund To Fight TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS After Global Fund Grants Suspended

Myanmar next month plans to launch the Three Disease Fund to compensate for grants that were suspended by the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, according to local media, Xinhua/People's Daily reports. The 3D Fund so far has raised $100 million, which will go toward controlling the three diseases in Myanmar over the next five years. Donations from the European Commission, the U.K. Department for International Development, the Australian government aid program AusAID, Sweden's Sida, the Netherlands and Norway helped establish the 3D Fund (Xinhua/People's Daily, 6/16). The Global Fund in August 2005 announced a suspension of its grants to Myanmar, citing travel and other restrictions implemented by the country's government that impede the delivery of medical supplies and services. The Global Fund in 2004 pledged to spend $98 million over five years to fight the three diseases in the country (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/25).