Global Fund Acts to Mitigate Impact of Flooding in Pakistan

Author:

David Garmaise

Article Type:

Article Number: 6

ABSTRACT After massive flooding hit Pakistan in July 2010, the Global Fund and its partner organisations took a series of steps to ensure continuity of prevention and treatment services for its malaria and tuberculosis grants.

In the aftermath of the massive flooding that hit Pakistan in July 2010, the Global Fund and its partner organisations took a series of steps to ensure continuity of prevention and treatment services for its malaria and tuberculosis grants. These steps included the following:

• Merlin UK, an international NGO, expedited the supply of artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) and rapid diagnostic malaria test kits (RDTs). The Global Fund Secretariat approved a request to re-programme a grant (using grant savings) to facilitate this.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) organized an emergency shipment of ACTs and RDTs from Afghanistan to cover needs in two of the most affected provinces.
• The Global Fund Secretariat arranged for an emergency supply of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets ( LLINs).
• The Secretariat approved the use of a new strategy (within the parameters of an existing grant) to conduct community-based tuberculosis community-based outreach events in the internally displaced person (IDP) camps of the affected districts. The events involve Mercy Corps, the principal recipient, delivering messages on health and hygiene, and providing essential supplies of dry food items.
• With support from the WHO, the National Tuberculosis Control Programme of Pakistan established a number of health posts at IDP camps to provide ongoing tuberculosis care and support services to assist Global Fund-financed programmes.  A core element of the work in these camps is the tracking of patients in affected areas to ensure continuation of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Meanwhile, grant agreement negotiations continued for four Round 9 grants for HIV and TB, and the Global Fund Secretariat said it was confident that the agreements will be signed very shortly.