Global Fund to provide $281.5m to prevent infectious diseases

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir has revealed that the Global Fund will provide a grant of $ 281.5 million to Pakistan over a period of three years for taking necessary measures for detection, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in the entire country.

The Global Fund country team along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representatives called on the Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Health Dr Jamal Nasir on Wednesday. The team apprised the minister of the progress of ongoing health programmes supported by The Global Fund in Pakistan. The meeting also discussed various challenges, their solutions and implementation of TB, HIV and Malaria interventions in Punjab. The controlling of these diseases under new grant cycle 2024-26 was also deliberated in the meeting besides exploring opportunities for collaboration and coordination to strengthen the healthcare system in Punjab. Dr Jamal Nasir observed that under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the health sector in Punjab has undergone considerable improvement in a short span of time. The caretaker Punjab govt is using all available resources to safeguard the people from diseases. More than 100 district and tehsil headquarters hospitals are being revamped and the task is now in the final stages, he informed.

The minister said that the special grant of $281.5 million by The Global Fund will go a long way in our efforts to fight TB, AIDS and malaria in Punjab. The grant will work to prevent infectious diseases, integrate health systems and facilitate the provision of medicines in the province, he added.

He said that in view of the climate change and disease data, there is a need to expand the support of the Global Fund. Performance of Punjab TB as well as AIDS control programmes, future expansion of the programmes and capacity building were also reviewed. The delegation was informed that 45 AIDS screening and counseling centres are functioning in all 36 districts across Punjab.