The Global Fund has approved Ukraine's request for renewal for “Tuberculosis” grant

The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has announced the approval of additional funding up to USD 59.5 million for Phase 2 of the Round 9 grant under TB component. It is stated in the official letter from the Global Fund of May 10, 2013. The letter also highlights that this amount represents the maximum amount of funding available, rather than the final additional amount of grant funds that the Principal Recipient will receive. The final additional amount of the grant funds will be determined through the grant negotiation process and is subject to the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement.

Nicolas Cantau, Regional Manager of the Global Fund in Eastern Europe and Central Asia remarks: "This letter is the Phase 2 endorsement; however, the funding receipt will be possible only when Ukraine fulfills the grant special conditions". The main concerns and related conditions and management actions are summarized in the enclosed document entitled "Secretariat Conditions and Management Actions".

In particular, the conditions are as follows: need to address quality and efficiency of TB services; the ability of State Treasury to provide grant payments to sub-recipients, need for VAT exemption for planned non-health procurements under the grant; capacity of the Principal Recipient for health products procurement; revision of Procurement and Supply Management Plan for health products and its written approval by the Global Fund, etc. Each condition has its specific time line. 

The funds allocated under Phase 2 of the grant will be used primarily to improve TB diagnosis, MDR-TB treatment, patients support, and activities for risk groups, as well to implement strategies of advocacy, communication and social mobilization.

It is expected that the implementation of Phase 2 of the grant will begin in July 2013, and by this time the final stage of previously launched activities will be conducted by the Principal Recipient of Phase 1 - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation for Development of Ukraine.

We recall that the National Council on TB and HIV/AIDS on November 2, 2012, has approved State Institution "Ukrainian center for socially dangerous diseases control of MoH Ukraine" as the Principal Recipient for Phase 2 of the Global Fund Round 9 grant.