The European Union’s head office said on Thursday it is delivering another €42-million ($52-million) to a United Nations-sponsored global fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.
The money — part of a €460 million ($569-million) pledge for 2002-2006 — will go toward programs geared to boost prevention, treatment and care of the three diseases, the European Commission said.
”With today’s decision, we have already honored over 80% of our pledge to the Global Fund from 2002-2006,” said Poul Nielson, the EU’s commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, who called on other donors to follow promises with payments.
The commission is the second-largest single contributor to the fund after the United States.
Including separate funds from individual countries, Europe has contributed €1,2-billion ($1,5-billion) to date, or 59% of the total. The United States has contributed €504-million ($623-million) to date, 24% of the total, according to fund statistics released last month.
Pledges from Europe through 2008 reach €2,3-billion ($2,9-billion) while the United States has pledged €1,6-billion ($2-billion) through 2008, according to the fund.
An estimated 6-million people die every year from Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, a figure that increases yearly. HIV-Aids is spreading fast across eastern Europe, notably in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are among ten nations that joined the EU on May 1.
The Global Fund was established in 2002. So far, 296 programs have been approved in 128 countries, with the vast majority of funds going to African nations. — Sapa-AFP