Malaysia joins the Global Fund portfolio with HIV and AIDS grant
11 May 2011
Focus will be on prevention among most-at-risk populations
GENEVA - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed its first grant with Malaysia, to fight the spread of HIV among populations at risk. The Malaysian AIDS Council will receive US$ 5.6 million over two-and-a-half years to implement the program.
While the national HIV prevalence in Malaysia is under 1%, research conducted in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and environs last year showed a prevalence of 22.1% among injecting drug-users, of 10.5% among female sex workers, and of 9.7% among mak nyah (transgender) sex workers. The grant, signed on May 5, 2011, focuses on a package of services with emphasis on prevention for these three groups.
Closely aligned with Malaysia’s national strategic plan on HIV and AIDS, the grant has a strong commitment to participation, consultation and collaboration with the targeted populations. Activities under the grant include raising awareness of the disease and advocacy, as well as training programs — including legal issues workshops — for the beneficiaries.
By targeting marginalized most-at-risk populations, the grant signed with Malaysia reinforces The Global Fund’s emerging strategic priority area of human rights and equity.
“I am happy to welcome Malaysia to the Global Fund portfolio, with a grant that will help to advance human rights and equity among marginalized populations”, said Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of The Global Fund.
The proposal for this grant was submitted to the Global Fund as part of Round 10. Even though Malaysia is an upper-middle income country, it is still eligible for Global Fund financing because it has large vulnerable populations. The funds for the new grant come from the Most–at–risk Populations Reserve, created in 2010 specifically to fund programs benefiting marginalized populations.