The Global Fund Pledges More Than $1 Billion to Fight Diseases
On Monday, November 12, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced the approval of 73 new grants—valued at approximately $1.1 billion—to fight disease in developing countries over the next two years (AFP/health.yahoo.com, 11/12).
This brings the Global Fund’s current budget to 32 percent higher than 2007’s estimate of $846 million. Of the new funding, 48 percent will go toward HIV/AIDS projects, with 42 and 10 percent being allocated to fight malaria and tuberculosis, respectively. Two thirds of the projects that will be supported are located in Africa.
“This is the largest funding round in the Global Fund’s history,” says board chair Rajat Gupta. “The board is pleased with the strength and high level of ambition of the new grants and is looking forward to scaling up in the fight against the three diseases.”
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
