Call to assist PNG's AIDS funding application
Updated
The world's major funder of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs - The Global Fund - has appealed to Australia and other aid donors to help Papua New Guinea produce a credible application for HIV/AIDS funding this year. Last year, P-N-G's proposal was rejected under the fund's strict guidelines for accountability. The executive director of the Fund, Professor Michel Kazatchkine says P-N-G isn't alone in being rejected.
But as he tours the world's economically-strapped capitals, seeking commitments to replenish the Fund, Professor Kazatchkine says its great success is built on rigorous enforcement of its standards. Professor Kazatchkine is also urging Australia to channel some of its promised increases in overseas development aid through The Global Fund.
Presenter: Linda Mottram
Speaker: The Global Fund's executive director, Professor Michel Kaztchkine
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MOTTRAM: Kofi Annan, former U-N secretary general, called in 2001 for a sort of one stop international finance shop to fund treatment internationally of the three big epidemic diseases, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Globally recognition had growth about the link between health and development. Soon The Global Fund was born. And in its short existence, the Fund's record is impressive. Back then, no-one in the developing world was receiving aids treatments. Now 40 per cent of those with urgent needs for anti-retroviral drugs get them. The Fund's executive director is Professor Michel Kaztchkine.
KAZATCHKINE: So we move from zero to over four Million people on treatment in just five, six years. I can't believe this would, I think if we had to go through a bilateral system we would still be negotiating at the country level on the conditions of that support.
MOTTRAM: In terms of specific countries, Papua New Guinea, the HIV AIDs problem in Papua New Guinea is getting worse not better. Australia is a huge donor to Papua New Guinea has been for a long time. What's your assessment of what's going on there, why is it getting worse?
KAZATCHKINE: Well it is as you know in the region, the subregion rather the only country with what we call in the aids jargon a generalised epidemic. It's at 1.5% prevalence, the epidemic is still progressing. Although there are also good news. There are now 6,300 people receiving antiretroviral treatment, all of them supported by the Global Fund basically and this is the fourth most rapid growth in access to antiretroviral treatment in the Asian region. So there are huge challenges but there is also very significant progress.
MOTTRAM: But a cloud fell over that progress last year when The Global Fund's scrupulously independent and rigorous review panel rejected PNG's application for further HIV/AIDS funding. It simply didn't meet the standards. The Fund's panel couldn't be sure the money would be spent as it was claimed it would be. Professor Kaztchkine says the Fund is now in negotiation for an agreement for continuity of services to ensure those six-thousand-three-hundred patients don't lose their treatment. But beyond that, PNG will have to come up with a much better proposal.
KAZATCHKINE: It is now up to the PNG authorities, the PNG civil society, the multilateral, AusAID and the bilaterals to really come together and help PNG have a credible and sound proposal coming to us for what we call round ten in 2010. That failure of PNG in round nine is a big blow to the program. But the credibility of the Global Fund is built on the fact that we only fund programs that come to us that are scientifically, medically, financially and programatically sound.
MOTTRAM: Papua New Guinea is not alone in this failure. Michel Kazatchkine says 50 to 55 per cent of applications to The Global Fund fail. And it's not all bad news in PNG. As well as continuing to support those in PNG receiving HIV/AIDS treatment, PNG is getting a Global Fund grant to provide all Papua New Guineans at risk with insecticide-impregnated mosquito nets in the next two-and-a-half to three years.
KAZATCHKINE: And I do hope that we will actually have a PNG without malaria deaths before 2015. And I'm actually hopeful for the world to reach the MDG for malaria before 2015.
MOTTRAM: This year the Global Fund is seeking new three year commitments from donor countries to continue it's work. And with Australia's government committed to increasing overseas development aid from point-three per cent of national income to point-five, Professor Kazatchkine is calling on Canberra to channelling more money through The Global Fund, as he admits to concern that some other countries are considering cutting international development assistance in response to global conditions. Professor Kazatchkine has two particular goals to keep the Fund flush include pushing China to become not just a recipient but a donor .. a transformation Russia has made .. and to put global health issues, as a key to development, before the G-20.
