Hope Mafaranga

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is putting into place a new agreement for purchasing HIV medication that will save close to US$100 million over two years, money that can be reinvested in lifesaving drugs and programs all over the world. By using a Pooled Procurement Mechanism, the agreement means lower prices, swifter delivery and more predictable and sustainable long-term supply – delivering on the goals of the Global Fund’s Market Shaping Strategy. It also yields greater transparency, reducing risks and expenses for countries that implement programs treating people with HIV. The new approach will also deliver better HIV medication options for children. The improvements were achieved by bundling the purchase of, high volume drugs with lower volume ones which are sometimes more difficult to obtain. Negotiators also focused on improved shelf life and active pharmaceutical ingredient security. The Global Fund is entering agreement

Perhaps HIV/AIDS is not new on Ugandan landing sites. But at Katwe- Kabatoro landing site at the shores of Lake George in Kasese district, the scourge is taking another twist as women sell their bodies in exchange of fish. Susan Kabugho a 47 year old woman and a mother of six, does not see anything wrong with having more than five men  for her survival on the lake. “ There is no way I am going to look at my children starving yet there are men here willing to give me fish to feed my children. I have to improvise,” she says confidently. Kabugho is among the many women at the landing site with many men. She disclosures that she has one man who brings in fish, another one who pays rent, another for her children’s school fees , another who buys food for her family and one who takes her out for social events.  She describes such character of women as poverty, lack of land for food cultivation and unemployment. She says that most of them have sex with men in exchange of food and fis

  UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signaled their strong partnership with a renewed cooperation agreement to help countries achieve Fast-Track targets to end the AIDS epidemic as a global health threat by 2030. At the core of the agreement is an improved way of collaborating that strengthens coordination mechanisms, and information-sharing at all levels and mutual accountability. The UNAIDS Fast-Track approach emphasizes the need to focus on the counties, cities and communities most affected by HIV and recommends that resources be concentrated on the areas with the greatest impact. The new agreement will focus on maximizing support to countries and optimizing investments and impact at country level. Cooperation areas include strengthening strategic investments, jointly leveraging political commitment and supporting meaningful country dialogues with all stakeholders - including civil society and communities - to ensure that no one is left

She has become a mother to the motherless By Hope Mafaranga When I arrived at Martha Twesigye’s home in Kayonja village, Rubindi Sub-County in Mbarara district, I was welcomed by a girl who looked like 17 years old with a big smile. I later got to know her as Ritah Tushabe one of the many girls that Twesigye takes care of. Tushabe portrays pictures of a child that has grown in a very happy and loving family. Despite the fact that she is not Twesigye’s biologically daughter, you can hardly tell. She calmly told me to have a sit as she calls her mother. “Mummy in the banana plantation, please take a sit and I call her,” she warmly said. Starting off The mother of 10 children, five girls and five boys, Twesigye says that she opened her home for the needy and homeless girls because she did not want to see a girl child being subjected to any kind of abuse.   Her starting point was about 20 years ago, when of the girls approached her home and told her that she was chase

 The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced today that Carole Presern, a highly experienced leader in global health and development, will become Head of the Office of Board Affairs. Dr. Presern has many years of experience as a manager, policy-maker and advisor in the field of health and development.  She served most recently as Executive Director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, also known as PMNCH.  As Head of the Office of Board Affairs, a newly-created position, Dr. Presern will expand strategic reinforcement and overall support for the multi-faceted work of the Board of the Global Fund and its six core areas of responsibility: strategy, governance, finance, performance, risk management and external relations. The Board of the Global Fund is a 20-member body with representation from external funders and implementing countries, non-governmental organizations in the field, as well as people affected by AIDS, TB and malaria. It als

The Board of the Global Fund expects to make decisions at a meeting this week to launch a 21st century approach to funding with more predictability, more inclusive country dialogue and a greater impact to defeat AIDS, TB and malaria. Led by Chair of the Board of the Global Fund, Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, who is also Indonesia’s Minister of Health, the meeting will deliberate on strategic, financial and operational components of the Global Fund. Finalizing a new approach to funding, with several components of a new funding model, will be the primary focus.     “This meeting will chart our future,” said Dr. Nafsiah Mboi. “Indonesia is extremely proud to be able to play a part in this collective effort. The Global Fund is working with all partners to galvanize support for the most effective ways to defeat AIDS, TB and malaria.” Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, said partners in many countries are seeing great progress in prevention, treatment and care for people affe

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria expressed thanks for President Barack Obama’s request for US$1.35 billion for the Global Fund in his 2015 budget proposal, calling it a demonstration of consistent commitment to global health.   “We recognize and are deeply grateful for the U.S. role in our efforts to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria," said Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, Chair of the Board of the Global Fund.   “With the U.S. giving as much as it can, we know we can drive even greater participation by other countries to reach our common goals.” President Obama’s budget request for the Global Fund, announced today in Washington, D.C., came as the Global Fund prepares to convene a meeting of its Board in Jakarta, where it is expected to discuss and approve measures to increase the impact of its investments. The U.S. is limited by law to providing one-third of the overall funding for the Global Fund. President Obama’s budget request for the Global Fund in

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have signed a grant agreement to fund universal treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in Niger, a country with one of the worst rates of TB in West Africa.   A new two-year Global Fund grant of 10 million euros will allow the population of Niger, estimated at around 17 million, to access quality TB diagnosis and treatment services. The grant will expand and enhance TB services for more than 26,000 people in 200 treatment centres by 2015, targeting vulnerable populations, including those in nomadic communities, migrant groups and prisons.   TB is a major global health concern, killing 1.3 million people every year and infecting a further 8.6 million, despite being an entirely preventable and curable disease. In Niger, while overall numbers of people with TB have fallen in recent years, incidence of the disease is still high. The vast majority of TB

Baby Rivona, the National Coordinator of Ikatan Perempuan Positif Indonesia (IPPI) - a network that works with women living with HIV in Indonesia – said at the Women Deliver conference this week that most women who are drug users, sex workers or transgender and HIV positive do not have enough information on where to get services. http://www.keycorrespondents.org/2013/05/30/sex-workers-drug-users-and-transgender-communities-demand-their-human-rights/

At the age of 14, Stella* is already a mother of two and is expecting her third child. Like 220 million other women and girls in developing countries, Stella lacks access to the contraceptives, information and services she needs to prevent unintended pregnancies. For Stella, from Kamuli district, Uganda, the lack of access to contraceptives is just one of many challenges she’s already faced in her young life. http://www.keycorrespondents.org/2013/12/03/young-pregnant-living-with-hiv-and-denied-access-to-health-services/  

The Ugandan Ministry of Health has passed a resolution to phase out traditional birth attendants by 2015 in a bid to meet zero new HIV infections among newborn babies. Sarah Opendi, the minister in charge of primary health, said the government will not tolerate traditional birth attendants, who are not medically qualified, as they do not have the skills to deliver expectant mothers who are HIV positive, and therefore risk exposing the babies to HIV infection. http://www.keycorrespondents.org/2013/12/19/traditional-birth-attendants-blamed-for-hiv-among-newborn-babies/

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria enthusiastically praised the nomination of Deborah Birx to be the next Global AIDS Coordinator for the United States, leading the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and managing the U.S. Government’s relationship with the Global Fund. Dr. Birx, a distinguished public health expert, has served as Director of the Division of Global HIV/AIDS at the Center for Disease Control since 2005. Trained as a clinician in immunology, she has dedicated her life to changing the course of HIV/AIDS, with nearly two decades of international experience in Africa and Asia. "Dr. Birx is a true leader in global health, and her rich experience makes her an exceptional choice,” said Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, Chair of the Board of the Global Fund. “We are very excited to work together with her in our common mission to defeat AIDS, TB and malaria.” Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, added: “Debbi is absolutely o