UNAIDS has welcomed the signing of new grants between Malawi and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria worth more than US$ 332 million. The agreement brings the total Global Fund commitment to Malawi to US$ 616 million for the period 2014-2017, the highest per capita allocation to any country globally.
The agreement will allow the further expansion of treatment and prevention programmes for all three diseases and build stronger health systems. Community based approaches to HIV prevention and programmes to diagnose new cases of tuberculosis will be scaled up. At the same time as he signed the new agreement with the Global Fund Executive Director, Mark Dybul, the President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, committed an additional US$ 30 million from domestic resources to bolster the country’s health system.
Malawi has 1.1 million people living with HIV. It has increased the number of people accessing antiretroviral medicines from a few thousand in 2003 to more than 536 000 at the end of 2014.
The grants signed here today will strengthen the Malawi government’s efforts against AIDS, malaria and TB. These diseases are leading causes of deaths, responsible for more than two in every five deaths. The grants will be key to achieving the national strategic plans for disease control programmes such as the 90-90-90 targets set in the National Strategy for HIV and AIDS. They will also be a major contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Peter Mutharika, President of Malawi
“Today is a historic moment of global solidarity and shared responsibility for Malawi. This new investment acknowledges the great work and commitment of Malawi. I have no doubt that Malawi’s strong leadership will lead to success.”
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS
“Partnership is at the centre of what we do so it is very encouraging to see the wide array of partners that are here today working together to control the diseases in Malawi.”
Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
