UK's billion pound boost for world health
Wednesday September 25th, 2013
Britain is to spend a billion pounds fighting some of the world's major health scourges, it was announced yesterday.
The
cash will go to the Global Fund, which was set up to combat Aids, TB and
malaria, over three years, starting next year.
The Fund said it was the second largest commitment from any government, secondly only to the USA.
The news was announced as the United Nations General Assembly met in New York.
Under the deal, the British cash will only be released provided it is no more than 10% of the total raised for the fund.
It is intended to deliver drug treatment for 750,000 people infected with HIV and 32 million anti-malaria nets treated with insecticide together with TB treatment for a million.
Global Fund chair Dr Nafsiah Mboi said: “This commitment will underlie a transformative step forward for the Global Fund and partners in their fight to defeat AIDS, TB and malaria."
UK development secretary Justine Greening said: "AIDS, TB and malaria are among the world’s biggest killers despite being entirely preventable and treatable. The Global Fund has already helped save millions of lives but we must keep up the momentum if we are to beat these diseases for good.
"It is in all our interests to help people to live longer, healthier, more productive lives so we all need to play our part in working towards a world free of HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB."
Tags: Africa | Flu & Viruses | Respiratory | South America | UK News | World Health
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