Global Fund team coming Jan 13
The Global Fund on Tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and Malaria country team is expected to visit Malawi between January 13 and 20 to discuss the draft proposal the country plans to submit to its board on January 30 2015
The Global Fund’s visit will clash with demonstrations by some civil society organisations (CSOs) on January 13 against Beautify Malawi (Beam) Trust and Mulhako wa Alhomwe who received money from National Aids Commission (NAC).
The visit also comes at a time when the Global Fund has written NAC to explain the controversy surrounding the grants to Beam and Mulhako wa Alhomwe.
Malawi is looking for approval of a $574.3 million grant for HIV and Aids, TB and malaria programmes up to 2017.
Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa confirmed the visit, but was quick to point out that the programme for the visit was already in place before the CSOs started organising the demonstrations.
According to the programme, the team is expected to meet officials from the government, donors and CSOs.
The visit is in alignment with the change in the funding model where the Global Fund plays an active role in concept note preparation.
“The delegation will include disease advisers for tuberculosis and HIV and a health systems strengthening expert,” a letter from the Malawi Global Fund Coordinating Committee executive secretary Victor Chayamba reads.
Between January 13 and 15, the Global Fund team will meet with the Global Fund Country Coordinating Committee, Minister of Health Jean Kalirani or Principal Secretary Chris Kang’ombe, Department for International Development, United Nations agencies such as World Health Organisations, UNAIDS among others.
Afterwards, the Global Fund team will hold review meetings on the joint HIV/TB concept notes, malaria concept note and health systems strengthening note.
The team will also hold follow up meetings on the Ministry of Health active grants with Global Fund then National Aids Commission active grants.
