By Ireen Kayira
The Global Fund has allocated US$512,939,077 (over MK371 billion) to Malawi for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and building resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH) for 2020-2022.
This was revealed in a letter dated 16 December, 2019 signed by the Global Fund’s Grant Management Division Head Mark Eldon-Edington in Geneva to Malawi’s Ministry of Finance.
The letter says the utilisation period for the funding is from January 2021 to June 2024 and Malawi is expected to submit applications for the funding.
“All funding requests are required to be developed through inclusive and transparent country dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders including key and vulnerable populations,” reads the letter in part.
In the new allocation, HIV has been allocated US$393,004,813 (over K285 billion), Tuberculosis US$19,950,195 (over K14 billion) while Malaria has US$99,984,069 (over K72 billion).
The letter further says accessing funds is dependent on meeting the Global Fund’s co-financing requirements of which Malawi is expected to progressively increase overall health spending in accordance with recognised international declarations and national strategies.
“Secondly, the country must progressively take on key programme costs, including those currently financed by the Global Fund.
“In addition, 15 per cent of Malawi’s allocation is a co-financing incentive, accessible only when Malawi makes and realises additional domestic commitments targeted as per the requirements of the Sustainability, Transition, and Co-Financing (STC) policy,” it reads.
The letter says for the past 17 years, the Global Fund has worked with partners around the world to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria and strengthen health systems.
“Together, we can recognise and applaud the massive progress made, and we can share collective determination to accelerate efforts to end these epidemics and ensure better health and wellbeing for all by 2030,” reads the letter addressed to Secretary to the Treasury Cliff Chiunda.
It further says it is essential that the focus should be on reducing incidence and scaling-up effective prevention efforts, invest in strengthening both health and community systems.
“Prioritise investments with key and vulnerable populations, and ensure that human rights-related barriers to health and gender inequalities are tackled.
“Removing human rights and gender-related barriers in access to services is critical to ending the epidemics. When unaddressed these barriers undermine effective and impactful responses and limit sustainable progress,” reads the letter.
The Secretary to the Treasury was not immediately available for comment and reaction.