This is the first of three instalments about the official announcements of new funding for HIV and two other diseases. Resistance to the 3D Fund has all but disappeared. Most of the criticism now focuses on implementation challenges.
Not everyone in the government is happy with the transparency,
accountability, and monitoring with which the 3D Fund is operating so
far. Read the final two articles.
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UK pledges Pounds 20m for Burma Aids fight
Amy Kazmin
Financial Times
10 August 2006
Bangkok: The UK government has agreed to contribute Pounds 20m (Dollars 38m, Euros 30m) to fighting Aids, tuberculosis and malaria in Burma - the first donation to what is expected to be a Dollars 100m, five-year health fund for the prevention and treatment of the lethal diseases in the military-ruled country.
The new "Three Diseases Fund", which has been developed jointly by the UK, Australia, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, is intended to fill the gap left by last year's abrupt withdrawal of the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria from Burma.
Pro-democracy activists have questioned the ability of foreign aid donors
to provide effective humanitarian assistance to Burma's long-suffering
population, without bolstering the country's repressive military rulers.
But Gareth Thomas, the UK international development minister, said
yesterday that Burma, long treated as a pariah by the west, was
confronting a public health crisis the international community "cannot
afford to ignore . . . any longer".
"We know that working in Burma is difficult but our recent experience
makes us believe that it is possible to make a difference," he said.
Burma has one of south-east Asia's most serious HIV/Aids epidemics with
UNAids estimating that up to 610,000 people, or 2.2 per cent of the
population, are infected. It also has one of the world's highest rates of
TB, with up to 97,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths each year, while malaria is the leading cause of death of children under five. Yet its public
health system is plagued by severe shortages of trained staff, equipment
and medical supplies.
The new fund will support condom promotion, expanded HIV testing, care and treatment for those living with Aids, expansion of TB diagnosis and
treatment, and the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets to prevent
malaria.
Large international charities already operating in Burma, UN agencies,
community-based organisations, private sector players, and local-level
public health officials are all expected to play a role in providing
expanded health and education services.
Guy Stallworthy, country director in Burma for Population Services
International, a US-based NGO that promotes condoms and TB treatment,
called the design of the initiative a "big improvement" over the Global
Fund, saying donors would have greater flexibility to ensure money was
used effectively.
"It could make a huge impact on those three diseases," he said of the
increase in funding. "It is hard to quantify or capture in a nutshell, but
it's critical."
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British Government Pledges $38M to Myanmar's TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS Fund
[Aug-10-2006]
U.K. International Development Minister Gareth Thomas on Wednesday announced that the British government will give $38 million to Myanmar's Three Diseases Fund, which was established to compensate for grants that were suspended by the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Financial Times reports (Kazmin, Financial Times, 8/9). 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 fund in 2004 pledged to spend $98 million over five years to fight the three diseases in the country (GlobalHealthReporting.org, 6/16). The 3D Fund will support the provision of insecticide-treated nets for malaria prevention, increased access to TB diagnosis and treatment, as well as the promotion of condom use and expanded HIV testing, treatment and care. International groups already working in Myanmar, U.N. agencies, community based organizations, the private sector and local health officials likely will participate in the expansion of health care services in the country, according to the Times (Financial Times, 8/9). In addition to the U.K. Department for International Development, the European Commission, the Australian government aid program AusAID, Sweden's Sida, the Netherlands and Norway pledged donations to help establish the 3D Fund (GlobalHealthReporting.org, 6/16). About 97,000 new TB cases and 12,000 TB deaths are recorded in Myanmar annually, and malaria is one of the leading causes of death among children under age five in the country. According to UNAIDS, up to 610,000 people, or 2.2% of the population, are living with HIV in Myanmar (Financial Times, 8/9).
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U.K. To Donate $36 Million To Burma Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Matthew Borghese
All Headline News
August 11 2006
London, England (AHN) - The U.K. will donate $36 million USD (?20 million GBP) to the HIV/AIDS fight in Burma.
Gareth Thomas, International Development Minister, says the money will go to a new effort, the Three Diseases Fund, to help fight TB, malaria and HIV and AIDS in the Asian nation.
The fund will eventually collected $100 million USD (?55 million GBP) over the next five years to support prevention, treatment and care for the most vulnerable in Burma, which is suffering from a major burden of disease and death from these three diseases.
According to a statement from the Ministry, the new resources will be targeted at a local level and be delivered by a combination of international NGOs, UN agencies, local NGOs and community groups, the private sector, and local-level public health staff.
Minister Thomas says, "Burma is facing an emerging public health crisis. The combined impact of malaria, TB and HIV is creating real suffering amongst the poorest and most vulnerable groups in the country."
"We cannot afford to ignore this crisis for any longer. The new fund will ensure that vital resources reach those who need them and are delivered effectively, through international and local bodies."
The Minister adds, "We know that working in Burma is difficult but our recent experience makes us believe that it is possible to make a difference. The aim is to reduce the infection and fatality rates for all of these diseases, and thus save the lives of more than 1 million people during the life of the program."
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August 11, Mizzima News
Skepticism over UK's £20 million aid for Aids, TB and Malaria - Mungpi
The National Health and Education Committee, a Burmese umbrella
organization in exile, today welcomed UK's decision to contribute £ 20
million ($38 m) to Burma to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria but
remained skeptical about the benefits from the project reaching grassroots
level people, who are the most needy.
Dr. Aung Kyaw Oo, Chairman of the NHEC-Western Region, said granting of the funds to fight the 'Three Diseases' is noble but with the present military government it is doubtful that it will reach the grassroots.
"While these three diseases are the worst diseases in Burma, and we admit
that emergency aid is needed to fight it, the problem is the junta. We are
concerned that this aid will fall into the junta's mechanism and be used
to suppress the people," Aung Kyaw Oo, who is also a medical doctor, told
Mizzima.
UK's contribution is the first donation of an estimated $100million,
five-year health fund for the prevention and treatment of these diseases
in Burma.
The new "Three Diseases Fund" jointly developed by the UK, Australia, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, is intended to fill the gap left by the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which abruptly left Burma last year alleging that the movement of it's aid workers were being restricted.
Aung Kyaw Oo said the military junta out of paranoia would continue
restricting the movement of foreign aid workers and UN agencies.
"The junta looks at all foreign aid workers with suspicion and fear, so
the junta will continue to restrict their movements and it is likely that
there will be more problems between the government and the humanitarian
workers," he added.
But Gareth Thomas, the UK international development minister, on Wednesday said, "We cannot afford to ignore this crisis any longer in Burma."
Burma, according to UN Aids has up to 610,000 people or 2.2 percent of the population who are infected with HIV/Aids. And there are up to 97,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths each year. Burma is on record as having one of the world's highest incidences of TB.
In 2005, official reports showed nearly 3,000 deaths from malaria, which
accounts for more than 50 per cent of all malaria related deaths in Asia.
However, the real number is believed to be much higher.
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British ambassador meeting unlawful organizations resorting to improper means, with excuses for cooperation in health sector
New Light of Myanmar
Yangon
24 August 2006
Mr Mark Canning who had recently presented his credentials as ambassador of Britain to Myanmar met with Chairman of National League for Democracy U Aung Shwe, Secretary U Lwin and central executive committee members at the NLD headquarters here on 21 August. And in the evening, he met with U Aye Tha Aung, U Naing Tun Thein, U Kyin Shin Htan and U Htaung Hko Htan of CRPP, an unlawful organization formed with the so-called representatives of the people's parliament, at the British Club next to his residence.
It is learnt that discussions at the meetings focused on arrangements being made to render assistance in tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS control and treatment, programmes Global Fund had carried out in the past. The British ambassador is going to meet with Min Ko Naing and Htay Kywe in the coming days, it is learnt.
The Ministry of Health is mainly responsible for health sector of Myanmar, and it is spending a large amount of State funds annually in extending hospitals and dispensaries, increasing the number of health staff, providing medicines and medical equipment, launching disease control and prevention programmes and conducting health care activities in the whole nation with the objective of raising the public health standard.
If Britain really wishes to take part in the task of controlling the said diseases with true goodwill for Myanmar people, it should make coordination and cooperation with the Health Ministry for the matter, instead of holding secrete meetings with unlawful organizations and political agents that never represent the nation and the people as such acts are not the correct ways and lacking goodwill .
Myanmar already has the previous experience of witnessing diplomats of some Western powers interfering in her affairs, with various excuses, against the diplomatic ethics . There were instances in which diplomats' meddling had caused instability and unrest in the nation. It is assumed among the public that such meddling of the diplomats may have the same sinister intention of creating disturbances and instability.
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British Embassy rebuffs junta’s accusations
Aung Lwin Oo
Irrawaddy
25 August 2006
The British embassy in Rangoon on Friday dismissed accusations by the
country’s military government that the mission was violating diplomatic
codes of conduct by meeting with pro-democracy opposition groups this
week.
State-run The New Light of Myanmar criticized newly credentialed British
ambassador to Burma Mark Canning for meeting with members of the National
League for Democracy, the ethnic umbrella group Committee Representing the
People’s Parliament and the 88 Generation Students Group, reportedly to
discuss the administration of humanitarian funds for fighting HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria.
“It [the embassy] should make coordination and cooperation with the
[Burmese] Health Ministry…instead of holding secret meetings with unlawful
organizations and political agents that never represent the nation,” the
report said.
Official press had previously criticized the US and British missions in
Rangoon of violating diplomatic codes of conduct by maintaining close
relations with opposition groups. It also suggested that representatives
of unnamed Western nations were contributing to the instability of Burma.
“It is incorrect to suggest that these meetings were ‘secret’ or in any
way in violation of diplomatic norms,” said the British embassy’s press
spokesperson, who added that as part of his normal diplomatic routine,
Ambassador Canning will continue meeting with “a range of people from a
cross spectrum of Burmese society,” including UN agencies, NGOs, political
parties, media representatives and individuals from various ethnic groups
and civil society.
The ambassador’s meetings followed an announcement by the UK on August 10
of US $36 million in aid—part of a multinational $100 million package—to
help fight three major diseases in Burma—HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis. The package includes funds from Australia, the European
Commission, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
“Several senior members of the Burmese government have welcomed the UK’s
assistance to the 3 Diseases Fund and expressed gratitude for the UK’s
recently announced donation,” the spokesperson said.
The embassy said that, being the largest donor among EU members, the UK
aims to meet the bloc’s requirement to discuss its aid projects and
programs with “civil society and all democratic groups.”
“Not only should the government and political organizations be involved,
but other social organizations as well,” Cin Sian Thang of the CRPP, who
met with the ambassador on Monday, told The Irrawaddy. “But it appears
that the government doesn’t even approve our meeting.”
On Thursday, Ambassador Canning, who assumed his duties on August 18, met
members of the 88 Generation Students Group, comprising former political
prisoners and student activists. The group said it was an informal meeting
with an incoming ambassador, and both sides exchanged views on the current
stage of the country’s political and social development.
