Govt. approves continuation of HIV, TB, Malaria programmes with global fund support

Colombo, June 25 (Daily Mirror) - The government has granted approval to continue implementing programmes aimed at eradicating HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Sri Lanka under grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announced today.

Addressing the media at the weekly media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions, Minister Jayatissa said the projects focused on the management, prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, will be carried out with financial assistance from the Global Fund.

He explained that the GFATM project has been operational in Sri Lanka since 2002 under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, initially covering all three diseases. However, from 2021 onwards, the focus shifted to HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis components alone.

The Minister noted that it has been deemed necessary to implement a new grant cycle covering the years 2025–2027 to achieve the targets outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Control and the National Strategic Plan 2023–2027 for HIV/AIDS eradication.

Under this upcoming phase, the Global Fund has agreed to allocate USD 2.97 million for Tuberculosis control and USD 6.38 million for the HIV/AIDS programme in Sri Lanka during the 2025–2027 period.