By Wallace Chipeta
Lilongwe, June 23, Mana: As Malawi prepares to host 52nd Global Fund Board Meeting, a team of seven members from the Fund’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland were in Lilongwe from June 10 to 13, 2024 to discuss and agree on priority preparatory activities the host’s organizing committee requires to implement ahead of the global event.
Among such undertakings are identifying vetted service providers in internet connectivity boosting, safety and security, conference and accommodation, transportation and events planning and management.
Others are capturing life changing stories in form of print and video documentaries from Global Fund supported health programmes on Malaria, HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis including infrastructure construction and equipment provision.
Success stories will be showcased during the Board Meeting official opening segment, side events including welcome receptions and cultural events to showcase Malawi’s culture.
Speaking on Thursday at the end of discussions with the Malawi Organizing Committee for the Board meeting, Senior Governance Officer from Global Fund, Eva Trujilo Herrera said her team will be in constant engagement with the subcommittees’ chairpersons to follow up on progress made in all thematic areas of logistics, protocol, security and connectivity just to mention a few.
She was accompanied by six other Global Fund delegates that included Max Muller, Deputy Head, Governance Team leader, Osian Jones, Senior Fund Portfolio Manager, Malawi, Grant Management Division, Rebecca Phillips, Media and Communications Events Manager, Marielle Mellinet, Events Manager and Thomas Ehlers, IT Support Officer and William Helfand, Senior Security Officer.
Malawi’s Ministry of Health Global Fund Programme Manager, Dr. Doreen Sanje said the face to face interaction with Governance Team Scoping Mission would culminate into a very successful Global Fund meeting to be held from 19 to 22 November, 2024.
She said the engagement enabled Global Fund and Malawi to express their respective major perspectives and expectations regarding the Board meeting organization and implementation.
Government of Malawi qualified to host 52nd Global Fund Board Meeting because it met all the guiding principles and its practical experience presented in its expression of interest submitted Global Fund through Ministry of Health as principal recipient of Global Fund grants in the country.
Malawi, as an implementer country, previously hosted similar high level Global Fund officials, has capacity to provide services such as visa processing, general event coordination, conference and accommodation, security and transport among others.
Global Fund Board meeting is expected to bring 300 heads of global agencies and several ministers. President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera will officially open the 52nd Global Fund Board meeting.
Global Fund Board meets twice a year in implementer countries.
In January, 2024, The Global Fund approved US$9.2 billion for grants starting in 2024 supporting more than 70 countries to continue their lifesaving work to end the three epidemics of HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and build sustainable and climate-resilient systems for health over the 2024-2026 period.
Since 2003 the Global Fund has committed over US$ 2.2 billion in support of the Republic of Malawi’s National HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria programmes.
The investment has helped reverse the courses of the three epidemics in the country making it one of the stand-out countries in Southern and Eastern Africa.
