Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - March 11, 2003
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
The fund, established by G-8 countries two years ago, has already given the kingdom about $20 million to combat the three diseases, in an agreement ending this year.
The new deal is expected to be signed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the fund's executive director, Richard Feachem, next month.
Deputy public health permanent secretary Suwit Wibulpolprasert, also the fund's deputy director, said yesterday the money would go towards increasing access to anti-retroviral drugs for people with HIV/Aids, provide treatment to Aids patients, cut vertical transmission of HIV from mothers to newborn babies, and to reduce tuberculosis and malaria incidences in border areas.
Currently, 10,000 people have access to anti-retroviral drugs under the Public Health Ministry's programme. Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan hoped the money would give another 60,000 people access to the drugs.
Aids prevention programmes among the youth, labourers and mobile population, and development of medical services, would be the main focus of the ministry, with almost five billion baht to be used from the fund, said Manit Thiratantikan, deputy chief of the Communicable Diseases Department.
Mrs Sudarat said the government had also decided to contribute $1 million (about 43 million baht) for a period of five years to the global fund to show Thailand's commitment to assist other countries in obtaining better health conditions.
Mr Feachem, the fund's executive director, said in a statement Thailand was a regional and global leader in its innovative approaches to prevent, treat and ensure active engagement of the private sector and civil society in its activities.
"It is our hope and expectation that the global fund's support to scaling up Thailand's fight against these diseases will achieve rapid results and provide us with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to the world the major impact additional funding can have in reducing human suffering," he said.
The fund will host its first board meeting in a developing country in Thailand in October.
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