Eight CARICOM proposals were approved by the Board of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) at its Sixth Meeting, which runs from 15-17 October 2003, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The successful proposals are from Guyana and Haiti, two each; Belize, Jamaica, the OECS and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP), one proposal each.
Speaking from Chiang Mai shortly after the decision, Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary-General, CARICOM Secretariat and Alternate Board Member for Latin America and the Caribbean expressed appreciation, stating that “the decision of the Board to fund the CARICOM projects gives a significant fillip to the Region in its accelerated approach to dealing with HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria”.
The original sum allocated to the CARICOM countries over the first two years 2004-2005 is estimated to be US$M44 and likely to reach a total of US$M110 over a 5-year period. The allocations provide an opportunity for the CARICOM countries to work in a concerted manner in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the main areas of which include: prevention, care and treatment and reduction of stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs).
One of Guyana’s awards was for malaria, and in the case of Haiti, malaria and TB. Haiti received an award for HIV/AIDS in 2002 and is the only CARICOM country that received a grant from the Global Fund prior to these third round awards.
Dr. Greene stated that the countries would need to clarify some aspects of the proposals and satisfy certain conditions before signing grant agreements with the Fund; and that a full discussion on the implications of the GFATM awards will take place at the Third Annual Meeting of PANCAP, scheduled for 12-13 November 2003, in Georgetown, Guyana.
Dr. Greene noted that expressions of appreciation are due to several institutions that provided technical assistance for the various proposals and singled out the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its efforts in support of the PANCAP proposal.
The Board meeting received with appreciation, the pledge to the Global Fund made by Barbados Prime Minister, Hon. Owen Arthur, at the recent UN special Session on HIV/AIDS.
The Global Fund is chaired by Senator Tommy Thompson US Secretary of State for Health and Human Services and, in its almost two years of existence, has approved funding in the sum of approximately US$M2000, 60% percent of which, has been allocated to Africa.
Previous CARICOM representatives in the Latin American and Caribbean delegations to the Board include: Dr. the Hon. Douglas Slater, Minister of Health, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Hon. John Juror, Minister of Health, Jamaica, and Dr. the Hon. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health, Barbados.
