|
Press Release |
OTHER PRESS RELEASES |
|
3 April 2006 |
Partnership agreement signed between
the UK and the Global Fund in Mozambique
MAPUTO - Today the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria agreed a new partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) which will strengthen joint working between the two organizations.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the UK Department of International Development have agreed to appoint a Health and HIV/AIDS Adviser to step up advice, monitoring and liaison between DFID, the Global Fund and Mozambican health authorities. The collaboration will ensure that the Global Fund, as a major financier of the health sector of Mozambique, is kept informed and can provide policy inputs whilst having no staff of its own present in the country.
Mauricio Cysne, Global Fund portfolio manager said “t his partnership promises to be a very efficient way to work. With this collaboration, the Global Fund will be able to monitor progress, be quickly informed about problems. Together, DFID and the Global Fund can engage in key policy developments – such as the debate about how to scale up access to HIV prevention and treatment services in Mozambique.”
BACKGROUND
- The position will be fully funded by DFID and report to the Head of Office of DFID Mozambique, but will work in close consultation with grant management staff of the Global Fund. The Adviser will function as a focal point for Global Fund partners in Mozambique, while management of the Global Fund grants will continue to be the full responsibility of Global Fund staff in Geneva.
- The Global Fund provides funding directly to the health sector in Mozambique through a multi-donor financing mechanism, or ‘common fund’, of which DFID is also a member. Policy dialogue will take place through the multi-donor working group. Providing funding and technical advice through these channels helps to strengthen national planning and coordination and reduces administrative burden.
The Global Fund in Mozambique
- The Global Fund is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The Global Fund has so far committed US$4.9 billion to 385 programs in 130 countries. Around half of the funding is being spent on medicines, mosquito nets to prevent malaria and other products, while the other half is for strengthening health services.
- The Global Fund has awarded four grants to Mozambique, with a combined commitment of US$51 million over two years. The total five year value of these grants is US$153 million. The Global Fund assesses results of its grants after two years, and continued funding for the remaining three year period of the grants depends on the extent to which the grants have met their agreed targets. Management of the Global Fund grants will continue to be the full responsibility of Global Fund staff in Geneva.
DFID in Mozambique
- DFID Mozambique has an annual budget of about $100 million making it one of the largest donors in Mozambique. It has had a country office in the capital, Maputo, since 2001.
- DFID Mozambique provides technical advice and funding in the areas of governance, education, health, HIV & AIDS and infrastructure. $60 million of DFID’s annual budget is provided directly to the budget of the Government of Mozambique as budget support to be spent on priority areas for poverty reduction, as set out in the PARPA II ( Mozambique’s poverty reduction strategy). Health is one of these priority areas, accounting for about 12% of the Government of Mozambique’s annual spend.
- DFID is among the largest bilateral donors to the common funds within the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council of Mozambique (CNCS). DFID will provide multi-year commitments the health and CNCS common funds for 3-5 years of between $8m - $10 m per year.
DFID support to the Global Fund
- Globally, the UK has committed £359 million to the Global Fund (2002–2008) including £100 million pledged to the Fund for 2006 and £100 million for 2007 at the Replenishment Conference (September 2005). This represents a doubling of its previous pledge for these 2 years. The £200 million amounted to 8.4% of the total pledged for this period (and 5.1% of the US$ 7 billion needed).
- The UK is now the fourth largest donor for the period 2006-07 (after France, the US and Japan) and the second largest in the EU.
The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.
As of end November 2005, 384,000 people have begun Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment through Global Fund supported programs-- up from 220,000 six months ago, and nearly triple the number of ARV recipients funded by Global Fund resources one year ago. Taken together, Global Fund supported programs to combat malaria expanded distribution of insecticide treated bed nets to 7.7 million, up from 3.1 million six months ago. In addition, tuberculosis programs have detected and treated more than one million TB cases through DOTS (Directly Observed Short Course Treatment).
Apart from a high standard of technical quality, the Global Fund attaches no conditions to any of its grants. It is not an implementing agency, instead relying on local ownership and planning to ensure that new resources are directed to programs on the frontline of this global effort to reach those most in need. Its performance-based approach to grant-making is designed to ensure that funds are used efficiently and create real change for people and communities. All programs are monitored by independent organizations contracted by the Global Fund to ensure that its funding has an impact in the fight against these three pandemics.
For more information on the work of the Global Fund, please visit our website: www.theglobalfund.org
Further information, please contact:
The Global Fund Rosie Vanek |
DFID Viktor Novele |
