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Tuesday, April 17, 2007 – Saint Lucia is privileged to be among
countries which are deemed eligible to submit proposals to the Global Fund. The
Director of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat Mr. Nahum Jn. Baptiste is
back from Bogata, Columbia after attending an international forum convened by
the Global Fund for all prospective recipients of funding from the organization.
He said the Leewards are yet to be made eligible but the Windward Islands are
definitely on the organizations list.
The objective of the meeting held last weekend, is to ensure all the
prerequisites are properly understood as the Fund has in the past rejected
proposals which were not up to the standard required.
“It was to help countries submit quality proposals and therefore improve their
chances of receiving global funds to support their national programmes,” Jn.
Baptiste said. “Through the regional coordinating mechanism of the OECS a
regional grant was submitted and Saint Lucia did benefit from that grant – that
was in round 6, currently there is a proposal from the global fund for phase 2
of round 6.”
Mr. Jn. Baptiste said Saint Lucia is now eligible to submit a proposal as a
country and as such is preparing by first undertaking what is termed a “Gap
Analysis”.
“We need to look at what we are doing now and we need to identify the gaps in
our response right now before we could make a submission to the global fund
because the Fund would not provide funding for those areas we have adequately
covered , whether it's being covered by the government funds or by the project
funds of the World Bank.”
In coming weeks NAPS and the Ministry of Health and other agencies participating
in the national response are expected to come to a final consensus on whether or
not to submit a proposal . Countries have until July 07th for the submission of
proposals. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was
established in 2002 - with the support of the world's leaders and UN Secretary
General Kofi Secretary Kofi Annan - to dramatically increase resources to fight
three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to
areas of greatest need by supporting locally driven strategies.
To date, the Global Fund has committed US$7 billion to 460 programs in 136
countries.
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