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Global Fund commits about $140 mn grant to combat Aids
New Delhi, Mar 04: Expressing concern that India was fast moving towards becoming the HIV/Aids capital of the world, independent funding agency global fund today said it had committed close to 140 million dollars as grants to New Delhi to combat HIV and tuberculosis.
New Delhi, Mar 04: Expressing concern that India was fast moving towards becoming the HIV/Aids capital of the world, independent funding agency global fund today said it had committed close to 140 million dollars as grants to New Delhi to combat HIV and tuberculosis.
"We have committed around 140 million dollars to India
which will be used over a five-year period. This includes 100
million dollars grant for an expanded response to HIV/Aids and
two grants totalling 34.7 million dollars for TB," Richard G A
Feachem, executive director of the global fund, said here.
Feachem, on his first visit to India, Met deputy chairman Planning Commission K C Pant, and said the agency was willing to grant additional assistance to India if the need arose.
He said there was concern that India was fast becoming the HIV/Aids capital of the world and the official figure of around four million was understated with the actual figure of HIV/Aids cases being close to 5-6 million.
While nearly 60 per cent of global funding is directed to tackling the Aids menace, he said efforts by governments of Asian and European countries were far from satisfactory.
Feachem said there was a need for the government to augment its efforts further by committing more funds and added that other agencies such as non-governmental organisations should be allowed to play a greater role.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pant said the method of disbursing the funds allocated for the disease would be discussed with the concerned ministries.
Pant welcomed the initiatives by the Global Fund to finance research and development efforts to develop vaccines to tackle HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
Bureau Report
Feachem, on his first visit to India, Met deputy chairman Planning Commission K C Pant, and said the agency was willing to grant additional assistance to India if the need arose.
He said there was concern that India was fast becoming the HIV/Aids capital of the world and the official figure of around four million was understated with the actual figure of HIV/Aids cases being close to 5-6 million.
While nearly 60 per cent of global funding is directed to tackling the Aids menace, he said efforts by governments of Asian and European countries were far from satisfactory.
Feachem said there was a need for the government to augment its efforts further by committing more funds and added that other agencies such as non-governmental organisations should be allowed to play a greater role.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pant said the method of disbursing the funds allocated for the disease would be discussed with the concerned ministries.
Pant welcomed the initiatives by the Global Fund to finance research and development efforts to develop vaccines to tackle HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
Bureau Report