Campaign Against Halting Global Funds To India

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has been a key partner in the world’s fight against TB, a killer disease that continues to take millions of lives despite being curable. The 2011 report of India’s National TB Programme points to more new TB cases added here each year (two million in 2009) than in any other country. But, equally, Global Fund support has made a vital difference. 

The recent decision by donors to cut contributions to The Global Fund is alarming. India is has  unimaginably populous, crowded and unequal, with the majority living in abject poverty, without basic health care or social support. It has large migrant, tribal, remote and slum populations that are vulnerable to infectious diseases like TB.

Many lack knowledge of TB, suffer from stigma, and go to untrained private practitioners. Health systems are weak, incomplete treatment common, and drug-resistant TB very real. The context calls for an uninterrupted and coordinated effort across sectors.  

 Global Fund Round 9 TB funds to India started a landmark five-year civil society project in 2010 on ‘Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation’, with an ambitious target of reaching some 750 million people in 374 districts across 23 states, including 174 million women, 199 million children and 250 million people in poor districts. Phase I, 2010-12, has shown encouraging results, with 247593 patients put on treatment in the second quarter in 2011. Phase 2, 2012-15, will now be critical. 

The Global Fund has helped India customise its TB programme through social participation in public health, and made access to healthcare more democratic. India is at a point when the national momentum can have a global impact on the Millenium Development Goal of halving the rate of TB infections by 2015. 

The Global Fund is a crucial partner now in India’s fight against TB. Speaking on the occasion Mr.A.J.Hariharan, the Secretary of ICWO said that it is important that TB intervention is taking a good and a vital role for the prevention and control of TB. 

Now the Global Fund has revised its decision in halting the funds to India. Similarly there are 134 countries who will suffer due to the decision in halting the funds. I am expecting the civil society voice and community concern that the Global Fund will change the decision and continue the financial support. Indian Community Welfare Organisation – I.C.W.O is located at AP-216, 18th Main Road,’I’ Block, 6th Street, Vallalar Colony, Anna Nagar West, Chennai-40 or call 26184392, 65515742.