Zimbabwe submitted proposals which were approved by the Fund’s Technical Review Panel.
The submitted proposals are first screened for eligibility and completeness by the Global Fund Secretariat and are then reviewed for technical merit by an independent panel of health experts – the Technical Review Panel..
The Board approves grants that are recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel; initially for a two-year period, with an option to renew funding for a second three-year phase if the programmes achieve targets.
Proposals are based on a comprehensive needs assessment – including efforts to scale up access to key prevention services for the three diseases through both public and non-public implementers.
Zimbabwe’s previous applications, save for round one and round five, failed at the Technical Review Panel stage which means receipt of the grants is almost certain.
Chairperson of Zimbabwe’s Country Co-ordinating Mechanism and Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, confirmed that the fund’s panel had approved the country’s request.
He expressed his confidence that the Fund’s Board meeting on November 7, would endorse the panel’s decision.
“We are very pleased that the TRP has approved our application because funding for Zimbabwe was long overdue considering that we did not get anything from the previous two consecutive rounds, yet our neighbouring countries got funding many times compared to us.
“The country has also posted many achievements, especially in the area of HIV and Aids where we have recorded a downward trend in the HIV prevalence rate,” Dr Parirenyatwa said.
He commended the CCM for its tireless efforts in drafting a sound proposal.
Zimbabwe sought US$296 752 070 for HIV and Aids under its application titled “Towards Universal Access: Addressing Critical Gaps in HIV Prevention, Care, Treatment and Support”.
Harare requested for US$58 million to fight TB under an application titled “Towards Universal Access: Ensuring Access to High DOTS”.
A further US$59 568 673 was requested for malaria treatment and control programmes.
The CCM also submitted a separate request for US$81 728 254 to strengthen health systems and revive the health sector.
“We do hope that we will be able to access the money right from the Global Fund through country bureaucracies right down to the programme implementers once the money starts coming.”
Dr Parirenyatwa said the CCM would meet today to discuss whether to prepare an application for funding under round nine.
The Global Fund has invited applications for funding under round nine as a supplement to round eight in the wake of the growing impact of Aids, TB and malaria programmes.
The deadline for applications under round nine is January 29, 2009.
Zim Guardian/Herald