DUSHANBE, November 25, 2011, Asia-Plus – Under the document signed in Dushanbe on November 24 Tajikistan will receive more than 35 million U.S. dollars within the second phase of the Global Fund’s 8th funding round.

Speaking at the document-signing ceremony, Deputy Health Minister, Ms. Saida Jobirova, expressed hope that Tajikistan would achieve even more success within the second phase of implementation of the Global Fund grants.  “We will be able to construct new modern lab, improve medical treatment and enter the new level of fighting HIV, tuberculosis and malaria,” Ms. Jobirova noted.

Mr. Alexander Zouev, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Tajikistan, for his part, appreciated support of the Government of Tajikistan and 45 local and international organizations for mitigating the burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.  He also noted that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would support reforms in Tajikistan’s health sector in the future as well.

Efforts taken but the Tajik authorities and support provided by international organizations have allowed reducing the number of malaria cases in the country from 30,000 in 1997 to 16 in the first half-year of 2011.

Due to financial support from the Global Fund, it has become possible to provide antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV free of charge and increase the number of the centers for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV and the DOTS treatment centers.  However, people suffering from these infectious diseases still need further systematic treatment.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (often commonly called The Global Fund or GFATM) was established in January 2002 to dramatically increase global financing for interventions against the three of the world''s most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.  It is the largest international funder of programs to combat malaria and tuberculosis, providing two-thirds of all financing, and provides a quarter of all international funding to combat HIV/AIDS.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main source of finance for programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 19.3 billion for more than 572 programs in 144 countries. The Global Fund financing is enabling countries to strengthen health systems by, for example, making improvements to infrastructure and providing training to those who deliver services. The Global Fund remains committed to working in partnership to scale up the fight against the diseases and to realize its vision – a world free of the burden of AIDS, TB and malaria.