The Ministry of Health has failed to satisfy Global Fund South Asian Region (GFSAR) to get release of 23 million dollars to eradicate malaria resulting further delay in its release, sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday.
The sources said that the funds were supposed to be received on June 15 but certain ambiguities in the documents have delayed the release of the funds. "Now the expected date of release is the first week of July", said the sources. Sources told this scribe that the Global Fund approved 23 million dollars, five-year grant to help control malaria in Pakistan, at the end of February 2008.
But unfortunately the slow pace of filing the documents caused hindrance in the realising date. Later May 15, 2008 was finalised for the release of funds but the recent visit of Global Fund South Asian Region team to Pakistan caused more impediments, as they asked for some amendments in the documents", sources added.
"However considering these delays, no doubt, it seems that it would be difficult for the government to achieve the target in 2010", sources added. The grant will fund a programme aimed at reducing the number of malaria cases by 50 percent in 19 malaria-endemic districts along the country's western border.
In addition, the programme aims at examining the involvement of private health providers in four target districts; strengthen the National Institute of Malaria Research and Training and other aspects of health infrastructure and enhance public awareness about malaria. The programme will train health workers in accordance with new guidelines for malaria cases management.
Sources stressed upon the need that the government should take immediate steps to address the issue because malaria has negative impact on the socio-economic development. To achieve goals and to overcome/eradicate malaria cases, all government agencies like health, education, agriculture, environment, Information Technology on one hand and government, private sectors and community itself on the other hand, engage and participate in malaria control activities with full devotion, added the official sources.