From the Three Diseases Fund ...
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The Three Diseases Fund provides prevention and treatment & care activities of TB, Malaria and HIV projects in Myanmar
Yangon, 25 March (Three Diseases Fund)— The Three Diseases Fund (3DF) is a pooled funding mechanism, supported by Australia, the European Commission (EC), the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK). The fund initially pledged US$100 million over 5 years, targeting vulnerable and under-served population groups, especially those living in remote and inaccessible areas and those most at risk of the three diseases. In 2009, donor commitments were increased to US$129 million and Denmark joined the Donor Consortium.
HIV projects, funded by the 3DF, provided support for people living with HIV in 143 townships (all states/Divisions), including 8,865 ART clients, during the first six months in 2009. Self-help groups were organized for 7,538 people living with HIV and nearly 12,000 persons received home-based care.
TB projects, financed by the 3DF, detected 15,862 sputum smear positive (SS+) cases and successfully treated 15,999 TB patients in 2009 (January-June). Community-based Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) projects contributed to the detection of 572 SS+ cases and treated 683 clients.
The Malaria programme reached 134 endemic townships across Myanmar through mobile and fixed clinics. Partners and GPs in the Public-Private Mix Programme treated 207,440 malaria cases with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for P.falciparum cases and non-ACT for P.vivax cases.
Other activities covered by 3DF funding are voluntary counselling, referral for diagnosis and testing, transportation for referrals, nutritional support, and psychosocial support as part of home-based care. The 3DF also provides equipment such as CD4 count machines, microscopes and laboratory consumables for diagnostics. Access to effective diagnosis and treatment services through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC), drug abuse counselling and Relapse Prevention services, psychosocial interventions for drug users and their family members are also supported by the 3DF.
For more information
Mikko Lainejoki, Chief Executive Officer, Three Diseases Fund
Tel/Fax: 95-1-534498, 504832
E-mail: mikkol@3dfund.org
Internet: http://www.3dfund.org
