UGANDA: Global fund gives $70 million for ARVs

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KAMPALA, 4 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - The Ugandan government's efforts to scale up anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs to cater for about 120,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, received a boost with the donation on Friday of US $70.35 million dollars from the Global Fund on Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The funds will also help the East African country offer assistance to orphans and vulnerable children, according to government officials.

"The government of Uganda has signed an agreement with the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria in which the fund will provide a grant of US $70.35 to procure anti-retroviral drugs and provide assistance to the orphans and vulnerable children," a statement issued by the finance ministry said.

The funds, it added, would among others be used on activities to prevent the spread of the HIV virus, educate orphans, provide money to people living with HIV/AIDS and monitor drug resistance to ARVs.

Over 40 percent of the funds will be used to procure health and non-health products from outside the country, according to the statement.

About one million people are infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS, while almost a similar number have died since the disease was first diagnosed some 22 years ago. Among Ugandans currently in need of ARVs, only 25,000 have access to these lifesavers.

Uganda has, in the past three years, received some $290 million dollars from the fund that was created to finance a turn-around in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The country has had considerable success in reducing HIV infection rates from 30 percent in the early 1990s to below 6 percent currently. But it is still confronted with a serious problems due to the epidemic, including rising numbers of people needing care and support, including orphans.

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