The Ugandan government has received a substantial grant of USD 600 million (approximately Shs2 trillion) from the Global Fund to combat communicable diseases over the next three years. This funding will support efforts to treat HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria from 2024 to 2026.
According to Ms Allen Kuteesa, a representative of TB-affected communities on the Uganda Country Coordinating Mechanism (UCCM), a portion of the grant will be allocated for drugs and other essential commodities. She also noted that a portion of the funds will be used for software activities and other related initiatives.
“Grant cycle 7 is heavily commoditized, meaning too much of the investment is going to drugs and other commodities. Part of the grant is going to what we call software activities, where we have community awareness and media engagements in order to facilitate our work,” Ms Kuteesa told KFM on Wednesday.
In May of this year, Peter Sands, the executive director of the Global Fund, met with President Museveni at State House Entebbe. During the meeting, Sands emphasized the Global Fund’s commitment to partnering with Uganda’s Ministry of Health to accelerate the elimination of AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria epidemics.
The Global Fund, established in 2002, is an international organization dedicated to raising and distributing funds for programs that address the impact of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in low- and middle-income countries.