The global fund to fight HIV, TB and Malaria has postponed the round eleven grant making process to countries like Uganda following a financial down turn which has forced donors to restrain from giving there money to the fund.
This came up in a recent meeting in Accra Ghana where the committee members realized the fund has been seriously affected by the financial down turn and thus effectively cancelled its next round of grant making saying it is unable to hand out new grants to countries for disease-fighting programs because of an acute shortage of money, but will support ‘essential needs’
Speaking to Daily Monitor on phone the ministry of health permanent secretary Dr. Asuman Lukwago said that Uganda’s performance is still below but suspension of round eleven does not mean that global fund has halted its operations in Uganda.
“To Uganda the fund postponed round eleven grants but has given assurance that in case of failure of government to effectively operationalize the program, it will give some little money to us up to 2015 but on the whole we are getting less compared to other countries in the region” said Mr. Lukwago
He also added that, “It is not only Uganda, but the fund in Geneva has told all member countries not to put in new applications for funding for round eleven. It is offering a transitional funding mechanism, which will allow countries to ask for money to cover essential needs. In recognition of the danger of stopping HIV treatment, this should allow countries to continue to supply drugs to people who are already taking them”
The fund has been waiting in vain for financial help from donors ever since its big renewal meeting in New York a year ago failed to deliver the sums hoped for. It wanted 20 billion dollars but only got 11.7 billion dollars. in spite of exhortations to donors to pledge more money from the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, who warned that the stakes were high and that more lives would be lost if pressure on the killer diseases was not maintained.
UGANDA IN RELATION TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION
While other regional states get a lot of money from the Global Fund to fight HIV, TB and malaria Uganda still gets the least amount over what technocrats call mismanagement of the earlier grants about seven years ago.
According to Prof. Vinand Nantulya the chairman Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) Ethiopia got 1.2 billion dollars from the global fund to fight HIV, TB and malaria, Tanzania was given 1 billion, Kenya gets 800 million dollars and Rwanda receives 600 million dollars and Uganda only parts with a mare 300 million dollars.
He also attributes the cut in the funding to the earlier mismanagement of the fund.
“We have suffered enough and lost a lot. 300 million dollars in nothing. Tanzania has got one billion dollars from the global fund, Kenya got 800 million dollars, and Rwanda got 600 million dollars. Because they are using the money well and with proper accountability and results to show that money is being used properly. But now see what mismanagement has cost Uganda” said Mr. Nantulya, a former senior health advisor and chief advisor to the executive director of the global fund, Geneva for more than three years.
At the launch of the round ten malaria and TB grant recently at Kampala Serena Mr. Nantulya who is also the chairman of the country coordinating mechanism (CCM) a global fund oversight committee, added that Uganda also falls victim of slow absorption of some rounds due to delayed procurements and low responsiveness to Global fund requirements sighting an example of the first phase of round six of the TB grant. Which was for the long term institutional arrangement and the excessive caution taken caused delays and ultimately the under performance of the grant
“The application for round nine was unsuccessful and we did not apply for round eight and now the round eleven has been cancelled, ” he said.
However, he was quick to add that the signing of the round ten Malaria and TB grant worth 78.5 million dollars which is about 600 billion shillings is a sure sign that Uganda has opened a new page on which the global fund and the public must have confidence that things are going to change for the better where by with the new wave of funding, new strategies are already drawn to reduce the HIV, TB and malaria burden in the country by 2015.
“Setting up a solid CCM means a number of things to happen and one of them is that we already have two principle recipients, one is the ministry of finance on behalf of government and TASO on behalf of civil society organisations. We are also targeting to reduce the infection rate by at least a half, we must see the number of children born with HIV going down, we expect to see a change in the behavior of people which leads to safe sexual practices, we expect to see the leadership back in the fight against HIV as a way of ‘turning off the tap’. We expect to see a lot of activity taking place” he added.
ALSO IMPORTANT
2005 year of global fund suspension in Uganda and by then Uganda was on five hence missing round six and now round eleven
78.5 US million dollars received in the round ten grant to work on health systems strengthening, TB and Malaria.
2 the number of years the grant is expected to run while government negotiates another 130 million dollars to finance HIV/Aids interventions for the next three years.
300,000 Ugandans receive free HIV treatment while another 600000 need to be recruited on the program.
2.2 million Ugandans tested for HIV last year and of these 40 percent were re-tests.
Malaria transmission is perennial and highly endemic in over 95 percent of the country with transmission rates varying from moderate to high.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
MORE MILLIONS NEED TO BE TESTED FOR HIV THIS NATIONAL CONDOM DAY 2012.
BY BRIAN SSENOGA KIMULI
While many Ugandans and the rest of the world are celebrating their romance on every February 14 as Valentine’s Day, the Aids HealthCare foundation Uganda Cares is marking the same day as the National Condom Day to educate and also remind the people about the importance of having protected sexual intercourse.
Currently, condoms are the only widely available, proven method for reducing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during intercourse. Organizations around the world recommend condom use for the prevention of pregnancy and HIV/STIs.
BACKGROUND
According to Dr. Mina Ssali the public relations officer Uganda Cares, National Condom Day (NCD) is an annual health initiative. The campaign falls on February 14 Valentine's Day, an ideal time to encourage condom use when love and lust are in the air. NCD serves to remind people about the risks of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies, when people are celebrating romance, passion, love, lust and intimacy.
NCD was first marked in Uganda in 2009 by Uganda Cares in soroti. The organization with the ‘stay negative campaign’ wanted to promote the positive message of condom use while educating people about the need to practice safe sex. “Several organisations especially our partners around Uganda are now joining into the campaign to mark the NCD since 2009 with the message "say it with a condom", a nice way to say to a partner "I care about your health". The "say it with a condom" message has since developed a positive reputation during the merriment of romance on Valentine's Day” says Henry Magala the country director Uganda Cares.
He continues that, “Uganda Cares would like to remind people to take responsibility for their sexual health by using a condom during sexual activity. There are still many occasions where people are engaging in sexual risk taking behaviour. Some people are still embarrassed about condoms or they don't consider themselves at risk. The more at ease people feel talking about condoms, the more likely they are to use them”
According to Dr. Zainab Akol the Aids Control Program director in the ministry of health the purpose to mark this day is to Increase awareness and utilization of condoms for HIV prevention and promotion of reproductive health in the country.
“Most Ugandans know that condoms if correctly used can prevent HIV infection but fifty percent of our population are young people and few among them know the proper way of using them and even then among them, there are those who know who have failed to appreciate the condom. The day will be an opportunity to highlight the role of the condom in HIV prevention. ” says Ms. Akol.
According to Ms. Ssali, this year’s National Condom Day will be marked at Lukaya where Uganda cares is also launching a Test and Treat project where over one thousand people will receive free counseling, testing and also treatment of those with HIV will be given for free.
THE NEED FOR CONDOMS
According to Mr. Magala the country has for the last five years been importing from Korea an estimated 120 million condoms annually but compared to the needs and the infection rate and population growth rate this is still very little something that even Ms. Akol agrees to.
“We import about 120 million condoms a year but the consumption is high. A quick calculation is that every person has four condoms for a full year. The whole country is so lacking. Recently we received about ten million condoms from UNFPA and USAID but still that is not enough. That is also about a quarter a condom per a person” Ms. Akol Adds before saying that the government has no intentions of setting up a condom factory in Uganda.
A 2011 Uganda care report released last month show that offers treatment to 28785 clients in twelve districts in Uganda and of these 15838 are already receiving Anti-retroviral therapy treatments while 12947 are still on septrine.
Uganda Cares is a partnership between the ministry of health and Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) with a guiding mission and core values to provide quality HIV/AIDS care to those in need, regardless of the ability to pay.
Another report by AHF released in 2010 show that in that same year over 170,000 individuals received HIV counseling and testing from all the Uganda Care centers spread in the country and over one million condoms were distribute, including 43,200 on valentine’s day, 2010.
This year also about one million condoms will be distributed as part of the prevention package to all Uganda cares clients as according to the organisations’ country director. And the organization is still continuing with campaign to encourage condom use among discordant couples.
“The challenge is that young people today have not really seen the real bite of HIV but we still reach them through our partners who can reach them in schools, and communities. The need is still great in that area but we are not giving up. We also intensify other approaches like abstinence among the young people and if you cannt then use the condom” says Mr.Magala.
IMPORTANT
30 per centage of people using condoms in Uganda
Condoms are free in Uganda except
95 per centage of condom in prevention of HIV, STI and pregnancy
35, 935 people tested for HIV in the 2008 Uganda cares ‘one million tests campaign.
2009 Uganda cares hosts the National World Aids commemoration day at Nakivubo stadium. This was also part of the ‘Testing Millions’ campaign that AHF was promoting internationally. By the end of 2009 the campaign had tested 240,829 individuals.
2010 Uganda cares launches the ‘Test and Treat’ Campaign during World Aids Day in Masaka.
While many Ugandans and the rest of the world are celebrating their romance on every February 14 as Valentine’s Day, the Aids HealthCare foundation Uganda Cares is marking the same day as the National Condom Day to educate and also remind the people about the importance of having protected sexual intercourse.
Currently, condoms are the only widely available, proven method for reducing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during intercourse. Organizations around the world recommend condom use for the prevention of pregnancy and HIV/STIs.
BACKGROUND
According to Dr. Mina Ssali the public relations officer Uganda Cares, National Condom Day (NCD) is an annual health initiative. The campaign falls on February 14 Valentine's Day, an ideal time to encourage condom use when love and lust are in the air. NCD serves to remind people about the risks of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies, when people are celebrating romance, passion, love, lust and intimacy.
NCD was first marked in Uganda in 2009 by Uganda Cares in soroti. The organization with the ‘stay negative campaign’ wanted to promote the positive message of condom use while educating people about the need to practice safe sex. “Several organisations especially our partners around Uganda are now joining into the campaign to mark the NCD since 2009 with the message "say it with a condom", a nice way to say to a partner "I care about your health". The "say it with a condom" message has since developed a positive reputation during the merriment of romance on Valentine's Day” says Henry Magala the country director Uganda Cares.
He continues that, “Uganda Cares would like to remind people to take responsibility for their sexual health by using a condom during sexual activity. There are still many occasions where people are engaging in sexual risk taking behaviour. Some people are still embarrassed about condoms or they don't consider themselves at risk. The more at ease people feel talking about condoms, the more likely they are to use them”
According to Dr. Zainab Akol the Aids Control Program director in the ministry of health the purpose to mark this day is to Increase awareness and utilization of condoms for HIV prevention and promotion of reproductive health in the country.
“Most Ugandans know that condoms if correctly used can prevent HIV infection but fifty percent of our population are young people and few among them know the proper way of using them and even then among them, there are those who know who have failed to appreciate the condom. The day will be an opportunity to highlight the role of the condom in HIV prevention. ” says Ms. Akol.
According to Ms. Ssali, this year’s National Condom Day will be marked at Lukaya where Uganda cares is also launching a Test and Treat project where over one thousand people will receive free counseling, testing and also treatment of those with HIV will be given for free.
THE NEED FOR CONDOMS
According to Mr. Magala the country has for the last five years been importing from Korea an estimated 120 million condoms annually but compared to the needs and the infection rate and population growth rate this is still very little something that even Ms. Akol agrees to.
“We import about 120 million condoms a year but the consumption is high. A quick calculation is that every person has four condoms for a full year. The whole country is so lacking. Recently we received about ten million condoms from UNFPA and USAID but still that is not enough. That is also about a quarter a condom per a person” Ms. Akol Adds before saying that the government has no intentions of setting up a condom factory in Uganda.
A 2011 Uganda care report released last month show that offers treatment to 28785 clients in twelve districts in Uganda and of these 15838 are already receiving Anti-retroviral therapy treatments while 12947 are still on septrine.
Uganda Cares is a partnership between the ministry of health and Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) with a guiding mission and core values to provide quality HIV/AIDS care to those in need, regardless of the ability to pay.
Another report by AHF released in 2010 show that in that same year over 170,000 individuals received HIV counseling and testing from all the Uganda Care centers spread in the country and over one million condoms were distribute, including 43,200 on valentine’s day, 2010.
This year also about one million condoms will be distributed as part of the prevention package to all Uganda cares clients as according to the organisations’ country director. And the organization is still continuing with campaign to encourage condom use among discordant couples.
“The challenge is that young people today have not really seen the real bite of HIV but we still reach them through our partners who can reach them in schools, and communities. The need is still great in that area but we are not giving up. We also intensify other approaches like abstinence among the young people and if you cannt then use the condom” says Mr.Magala.
IMPORTANT
30 per centage of people using condoms in Uganda
Condoms are free in Uganda except
95 per centage of condom in prevention of HIV, STI and pregnancy
35, 935 people tested for HIV in the 2008 Uganda cares ‘one million tests campaign.
2009 Uganda cares hosts the National World Aids commemoration day at Nakivubo stadium. This was also part of the ‘Testing Millions’ campaign that AHF was promoting internationally. By the end of 2009 the campaign had tested 240,829 individuals.
2010 Uganda cares launches the ‘Test and Treat’ Campaign during World Aids Day in Masaka.
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