PEPFAR To Contribute $84M in 2005 To Fight HIV/AIDS in Zambia
The U.S. government in 2005 will contribute $84 million in 2005 to fight HIV/AIDS in Zambia under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Zambia's Post/AllAfrica.com reports (Kaswende, Post/AllAfrica.com, 4/4). PEPFAR is a five-year, $15 billion program that directs funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to 15 focus countries, including Botswana, Ethiopia, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Haiti, Guyana and Vietnam (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/8). Cathy Dhanani, U.S. embassy chief political and economic officer, said that PEPFAR in 2006 will contribute more than $100 million in additional funding to Zambia for national HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs, according to the Post/AllAfrica.com. Dhanani added that HIV/AIDS is the "biggest threat" to the country's development, the Post/AllAfrica.com reports. However, she said that Zambia is "on the threshold" of being eligible for assistance under the Millennium Challenge Account, according to the Post/AllAfrica.com (Post/AllAfrica.com, 4/4). MCA is a program meant to encourage economic and political reforms in developing countries (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/8). In addition, Dhanani "reiterated" that the U.S. government would forgive $500 million of Zambia's debt when the country reached the completion point of the World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, according to the Post/AllAfrica.com (Post/AllAfrica.com, 4/4).
This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.