The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed, on 6 June 2003,
a grant agreement worth US$ 48 million for the prevention and fight against
AIDS and Tuberculosis in Romania. The grant signing ceremony took place
during the fifth meeting of the Global Fund's Board in Geneva. On behalf of
the Romania Government, the Agreement was signed by Dr. Daniela Bartos,
Minister of Health and Family, and from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria, by Prof. Richard Feachem, the Executive Director
of the Global Fund. The ceremony took place in the presence of Mr. Tommy G.
Thompson, the Secretary of Health and Human Services of USA..
Part of the grant is intended to increase access to DOTS - the
internationally approved treatment strategy for TB - to 100 per cent
coverage of the country in two years, provide training to more than 10,000
health professionals throughout the country, increase access to treatment
for multi-drug resistant TB, and build a stronger network of civil society,
health care and government partners for TB control.
As for the HIV/AIDS component of the grant, the objective is to enable
the scale-up of prevention efforts in priority areas, strengthen treatment,
care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly for
vulnerable groups such as members of the Roma minority, TB patients and
prisoners. A large part of this grant will be implemented with the support
of non-governmental partners.
Romania is the first country to give a tax exemption for all goods and
services purchased with Global Fund grant funding. The savings will result
in an additional US$ 3 million going to the Romanian TB and HIV/AIDS
control programs.