Will the Three Diseases Fund still be called the Three Diseases Fund when it no longer focuses on the Three Diseases? What will it be called?
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Three Diseases Fund to focus on maternal and child health
By Khin Myat and Nan Tin Htwe
December 27 - January 2, 2011
THE focus of the Three Diseases Fund will shift to maternal and child health when the fund’s second five-year phase begins in 2012, an official said last week.
The US$125 million multi-donor trust was established in 2006 to fill the funding gap left by the pullout of the Global Fund for HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
Mr Philippe Allen, chair of the fund board and representative of Australia’s AusAID in the Donor Consortium, said the reintroduction of financial support from the Global Fund from 2011 was the major factor in the decision to focus on other health needs.
“In 2012, the Global Fund will have already come back to Myanmar and will be focusing on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. That is why we have decided to take care of maternal and child health sector, as it is a needy area.”
Other members in the Donor Consortium include Denmark, the European Commission, the Neth-erlands, Norway, Sweden’s Sida and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.
“For phase two, we aim to receive the same amount as phase one. We are already talking with donors and arranging plans,” Mr Allen said at the fund’s annual review meeting for 2010, held on December 16 at Park Royal Hotel in Yangon. The meeting brought together 180 representatives from international and local NGOs, UN agencies, donor countries and the Ministry of Health. The Three Diseases Fund has distributed three series of grants to 33 partners for 55 projects targeting those most at risk of contracting TB, malaria and HIV/AIDS.
According to fund statistics, partners have provided antiretroviral therapy to 12,874 people living with HIV and 1.1 million cases of malaria were treated. In 2010 alone, almost 13 million condoms and more than 1.5 million needles and syringes were distributed.
Mr Allen said he was confident the fund could continue to make a signi-ficant contribution to meeting Myanmar’s health needs.
“We made a real difference in Myanmar [in phase one] and we are confident that we can build on this achievement in the maternal and child health sectors.”
http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/news/555/news55508.html
