Global Fund to give a $7m grant to Myanmar to combat tuberculosis
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《英国医生杂志》
The Global Fund, a public-private partnership that aims to attract and disburse funds to prevent and treat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, is to give a $7m (?.8m; $5.7m) grant to Myanmar to combat tuberculosis.
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is one of the world抯 22 "high burden" countries for tuberculosis, with 80 000 new cases each year. The funding, to be awarded over two years, will strengthen the current tuberculosis programme by expanding it to regions that have not yet been covered.
The aim is to improve the detection of infection among people with new positive results of smear tests to at least 75% by 2006 and to improve the treatment success rate among new registered cases of smear positive results to 85% or more.
But the grant is designed so that Myanmar抯 central government, a military regime widely condemned for its human rights abuses, including forced labour of citizens and the house arrest of the democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, will not have access to or benefit from any funds.
Richard Feacham, executive director of the Global Fund, said, "The people of Myanmar have for years suffered from poverty, neglect and isolation. I am very pleased that we are able to channel funds to them which will help fight tuberculosis, a major disease problem in Myanmar."
But he added: "We have an additional safeguards policy for countries where extra precautions are needed to guarantee that our money reaches those who need it," says Dr Feachem. "It enables us to operate safely in areas which may receive little or no outside assistance with confidence that the money will help people on the ground."
The United Nations is backing the grant and has stated that the funds will be managed by the UN抯 development programme. In addition, a technical working group comprising UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and representatives from the Myanmar Ministry of Health will help to oversee the implementation of the programme alongside the Global Fund抯 regular local fund agent.
However, John Jackson, director of the Burma Campaign UK, which campaigns for human rights and democracy in Myanmar, has expressed concerns over the announcement. "The key consideration with any form of aid must be that it reaches the people it抯 meant for," he said. "The regime is very adept at siphoning off aid from international agencies in order to benefit the military regime itself.
"It is not clear yet what the money will be spent on, and there is some suggestion that some of it will be going through government ministries. We are not sure what proportion will be going through the government and not sure how it will be ensured that the money is being used for the purposes it抯 meant for and isn抰 used to develop the military dictatorship in Burma."
The Global Fund has approved two other grants to Myanmar: a $19m grant to fight HIV and AIDS and a $9m grant for treatment and prevention of malaria. Grant agreements for these are expected to be ready in the coming months.(London Karen H閎ert)
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is one of the world抯 22 "high burden" countries for tuberculosis, with 80 000 new cases each year. The funding, to be awarded over two years, will strengthen the current tuberculosis programme by expanding it to regions that have not yet been covered.
The aim is to improve the detection of infection among people with new positive results of smear tests to at least 75% by 2006 and to improve the treatment success rate among new registered cases of smear positive results to 85% or more.
But the grant is designed so that Myanmar抯 central government, a military regime widely condemned for its human rights abuses, including forced labour of citizens and the house arrest of the democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, will not have access to or benefit from any funds.
Richard Feacham, executive director of the Global Fund, said, "The people of Myanmar have for years suffered from poverty, neglect and isolation. I am very pleased that we are able to channel funds to them which will help fight tuberculosis, a major disease problem in Myanmar."
But he added: "We have an additional safeguards policy for countries where extra precautions are needed to guarantee that our money reaches those who need it," says Dr Feachem. "It enables us to operate safely in areas which may receive little or no outside assistance with confidence that the money will help people on the ground."
The United Nations is backing the grant and has stated that the funds will be managed by the UN抯 development programme. In addition, a technical working group comprising UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and representatives from the Myanmar Ministry of Health will help to oversee the implementation of the programme alongside the Global Fund抯 regular local fund agent.
However, John Jackson, director of the Burma Campaign UK, which campaigns for human rights and democracy in Myanmar, has expressed concerns over the announcement. "The key consideration with any form of aid must be that it reaches the people it抯 meant for," he said. "The regime is very adept at siphoning off aid from international agencies in order to benefit the military regime itself.
"It is not clear yet what the money will be spent on, and there is some suggestion that some of it will be going through government ministries. We are not sure what proportion will be going through the government and not sure how it will be ensured that the money is being used for the purposes it抯 meant for and isn抰 used to develop the military dictatorship in Burma."
The Global Fund has approved two other grants to Myanmar: a $19m grant to fight HIV and AIDS and a $9m grant for treatment and prevention of malaria. Grant agreements for these are expected to be ready in the coming months.(London Karen H閎ert)