The Global Fund - Round 7 Call for Proposals for grant funding
The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on 12 November approved 73 new grants worth more than US$ 1.1 billion over two years. The Board has also approved US$ 130 million for renewal and sequel of five grants that have reached the end of their five year life. West Bank and Gaza are welcomed as a 'newcomers' to the Global Fund's portfolio. the two regions will benefit of the financial support for developing a some HIV prevention programs.
Of the approved proposals, AIDS accounts for 48 percent and malaria for 42 percent, respectively, tuberculosis account for 10 percent. The scope and quality of malaria proposals was especially strong, doubling its success rate from Round 6.More than 80 percent of the approved Round 7 grants are for low-income countries, out of which 66 percent are still from Africa. 20 percent of the total approved funding for all three diseases will be contributed to large scale strengthening of in-country health systems. Therefore, the funds granted within the 7th Round will serve for upgrading infrastructure, strengthening essential procurement and supply management systems, reinforcing human resources, and buying new health equipment in order to improve significantly the quality of medical assistance.
"The fact that applicants have identified these larger, more strategic health system strengthening needs in Round 7 proposals, is important. It confirms that when done right, disease-specific programs are effective tools for overall health systems strengthening," stated Dr Kazatchkine, the Executive Director of Global Fund. "We all know there is a tremendous need for increased investments in health. These new grants show that need is increasingly turned into high-quality demand for resources. This is a trend we must develop further on", added the high official of Global Fund.
The next Round of funding will open for applications on March 1st 2008 and close on July 1st 2008. Drawing on Round 7 outcomes, the Global Fund is anticipating a significant increase in demand for resources in the eighth Round, as countries continue to scale up their national prevention and care efforts.Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financer of programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
