The Global Fund (TGF), an international financing body, has decided to grant $281 million in assistance to Pakistan for its fight against rising HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria.
According to the details, Pakistan will employ these funds to develop a strong and sustainable health system. TGF will disburse the $281 million aid from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026, the News reported.
As far as the breakdown of the fund is concerned, $181 million has been designated for TB, $65 million for HIV, and $34 million for malaria, according to an official of the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C).
Speaking about the principal recipients (primary receivers) of the fund, the official noted that National TB and National Malaria Control Programs would receive the funds for TB and malaria, while funds for HIV will be given to United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Nai Zindagi, an NGO.
In addition, there are five sub-recipients for the HIV fund, which include the National Aids Control Program (NACP) and Provincial Aids Control Programs of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan, the official remarked
Meanwhile, Common Management Unit (CMU) is in talks with TGF to declare NACP the principal recipient of the HIV fund.
It is important to mention here that experts have shown concerns as HIV cases grew by 84 percent between 2010 and 2022 in Pakistan despite spending millions of dollars.
The World Health Organization (WHO) experts opined that HIV infections are skyrocketing in all four provinces, including Islamabad, while Punjab and Sindh are the hotspots of the disease. Reportedly, 50 percent and 43 percent of the total 210,000 cases are from Punjab and Sindh, respectively.
They remarked that HIV is prevalent in key populations in Pakistan, which include drug addicts, the transgender community (not intersex), prostitutes, and homosexuals.