Mozambique and Global Fund Aiming Higher with New Grants
17 June 2015
MAPUTO, Mozambique - The Republic of Mozambique, Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade, World Vision International and the Global Fund today reaffirmed their partnership, signing five new grants worth US$374 million to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in Mozambique.
The financial resources provided through the Global Fund come from many donors, represented today by the United States, Ireland, France and the Health Partners Group in Mozambique. The private sector, which includes Vale, BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities, the United Methodist Church and Goodbye Malaria, also provide funds. Beyond pure financial support, the grant agreements embody the strong partnership with UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and civil society.
The Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade will work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health and National AIDS Council, implementing HIV and TB programs. The HIV grants aim to expand availability of antiretroviral medication for people living with HIV to 53 percent by 2016, up from 40 percent in 2014. They also aim to maintain antiretroviral coverage for new mothers at the current rate of 90 percent.
The grant agreement intends to extend HIV prevention services to reach 60 percent of female sex workers, 30 percent of men who have sex with men, 39 percent of miners and 60 percent of adolescent girls.
Mozambique also aims to intensify TB case notification rates from 233 per 100,000 to 320 per 100,000 by 2017, and increase the multi-drug resistant tuberculosis notification rate from 20 percent to 44 percent by 2017, better integrating TB and HIV treatment and prevention in community health clinics.
The malaria grants aim to achieve 80 percent coverage of treatment and increase household use of mosquito nets to 70 percent by 2016, up from 53 percent in 2011. The number of in-patient malaria deaths is expected to reduce from 13 per 100,000 to 8 per 100,000 by 2016.
Mozambique's national strategies have increased key service coverage for HIV and TB, meeting the Millennium Development Goal target of halving tuberculosis deaths.
Dr. Nazira Vali Abdula, Minister of Health, thanked the Global Fund for joining Mozambique in efforts to improve the health of its people, while acknowledging that challenges remain and require much more than financial resources.
"In order to achieve concrete results, we all need to continue to be guided by common sense, honesty and clarity on the targets and take an integrated approach that that ensures harmonization, alignment, mutual accountability, clarity of objectives, consensus on the way forward, and flexibility in solving problems," said Dr. Vali Abdula. "The ministry will continue to be guided by rigor, dedication and accountability in the use of resources and implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plan."
Mrs Graca Machel, the President of the Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade, said: "Strengthening the capacity of local organizations, community health workers and activists to improve adherence to ART and increase the success rate for TB case finding and treatment in 61 districts focusing on adolescent girls, young and adult women, miners, truck drivers and sex workers is key for a sustainable and effective response to HIV, TB and malaria. We are delighted to partner with the Government of Mozambique, Civil Society Organizations and the Global Fund to reduce prevalence and deaths due to these diseases."
Graham Strong, Country Director for World Vision International, said: "It is a great pleasure to continue collaborating with the Ministry of Health in the national fight against the malaria. Malaria is taking a huge toll on poor communities, especially on the lives of children. We are determined to do our best in this joint action against malaria and reducing the burden in Mozambique."
William Carlos, the Ambassador of Ireland, said: "The majority of partners in the health sector are proud to work with the Global Fund. We are committed to seeing that our investments are well coordinated."
Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund, said: "The strong implementation of the programs supported by these grants is critical. The Global Fund is privileged to work with the Government of Mozambique and its partners in their fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria."