The Global fund has opened and operated nothing. It is, as its name suggests, a fund. The Royal Thai government opened and operates these posts.
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Global Fund opens new malaria posts along Thai-Burmese border
Shah Paung and Sai Silp
Irrawaddy
30 March 2006
Global Fund, the world’s largest funding body which withdrew its
operations from Burma last year, has opened additional malaria posts in
three Thai provinces along the Thai-Burmese border.
The funding group now operates some 87 malaria posts, comprising 100
staff, throughout Tak province, according to Dr Suphakit Sirilak, deputy
director of the Tak Provincial Health Department.
Global Fund opened its first malaria posts in 2003 in Tak, Mae Hong Son
and Kanchanaburi. Others quickly followed in Chumporn, Prachuap Khirikhan
and Yala in 2004. The three newest posts are now operating in Trat, Surat
Thani and Ranong, areas that have large populations of migrant workers
from Burma.
“The results from our operations over the last two years show that we are
becoming very effective,” said Sirilak. “In about five years, the number
of patients—both Thai and Burmese—reached more than 80,000, but over the
last two years, we have treated less than 20,000. And the death rate has
dropped.”
He added that since Global Fund’s withdrawal from Burma, there has been
concern that outbreaks of malaria will increase in Thailand because people
are crossing the border from Burma every day. The group pulled out of
Burma last August, and prior to its departure had committed nearly US $100
million to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Burma.
The community malaria post projects receive financial support from Global
Fund and are operated by the Thai Ministry of Public Health. The group has
pledged nearly $5.3 million over five years to fight malaria along the
Thai-Burmese border.
The community posts are staffed by local villagers trained by the health
department to identify the presence of the disease in blood samples
quickly and without the use of a microscope. Examinations and treatment
are provided free of charge to anyone who needs them.
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