AFRO-NETS> Uganda Awarded US$ 36.3 million to fight AIDS

[Gloria Katusiime <gkgloria@yahoo.com>]

Uganda Awarded US$ 36.3 million to fight AIDS
---------------------------------------------

By Gloria Katusiime, Kampala

Uganda has finally received the first of the global fund grants that 
is to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB.

About 36 million Dollars has initially been awarded within the next 
two years to be used in HIV/AIDS interventions.

Chris Kasami the Permanent secretary in the secretary to the treasury 
and Toby Kasper the Fund portfolio manager signed the agreement.

Over 866 million US dollars has so far been awarded by the Global 
fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to help 60 countries scale up pro-
grams to stop these diseases. 

Uganda has become the 28th beneficiary and 31 grant agreements have 
so far been signed worldwide.

Kasper Toby said that the money should arrive in the coming month. 

A preparatory program for the first six months has been set up and 
initial activities will include scaling up management structures and 
developing guidelines for various HIV/AIDS projects.

The Global Fund is expected within the next months to also approve 
grants for Malaria and TB interventions.

Meanwhile fears that these grants could pause as a threat to Uganda?s 
economy appear to have stalled. Economists had raised fears that a 
large some of foreign currency injected into Uganda?s economy could 
overwhelm it, appreciating the shilling and consequently affecting 
the country?s export base.

Kasami Permanent secretary in the secretary to the treasury however 
dispelled fears stressing that far from the alleged economic shock, 
the worst possible effect would be an economy powered by HIV/AIDS in-
fected people.

Also fears that the Fund was running out of money because the rich 
countries had failed to contribute to the fund were downplayed by 
Kasper who said that while the rich countries needed to fulfill their 
pledges, the Fund was not bankrupt.

--
Gloria Katusiime
mailto:gkgloria@yahoo.com

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