Sudan and Global Fund Discuss Expanding Support for Malaria, TB, and HIV Programs
Geneva /
Federal Minister of Health,Dr. Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, met today at the headquarters of the Global Fund in Geneva with Mr. Ibrahim Faria, Head of Africa and the Middle East Department at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, along with his team, on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
The meeting discussed the partnership between Sudan and the Global Fund, and ways to strengthen support provided to Sudan in combating malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, as well as strengthening the health system. Discussions also covered the priorities of Grant Cycle 8 (GC8) and ensuring access to services for all populations.
Representatives of the Global Fund praised the partnership with Sudan, which has extended for more than twenty years, and commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health in continuing to provide health services despite the complex circumstances. They also congratulated Sudan on implementing the long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets campaign.
The Global Fund representatives stressed the importance of ensuring continued access to services across all parts of Sudan, including Darfur, Kordofan, and areas with high burdens of malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. They also emphasized maximizing the impact of available funding under GC8, rationalizing operational costs, and avoiding overlap with financing from other partners.
For his part, the Federal Minister of Health expressed appreciation for the continued support provided by the Global Fund to Sudan, commending the Fund’s efforts in maintaining an adequate level of financing despite global funding reductions. He also invited the Fund’s team to visit Sudan in the coming period to observe firsthand the health situation and implementation pathways.
The Minister affirmed Sudan’s commitment to delivering health services to all populations across the country, noting a gradual improvement in the security situation and the return of large numbers of citizens, creating better opportunities for program implementation and reducing some operational costs that had increased during the war period.
The Minister also reviewed the government’s efforts in malaria control, including the launch of the national campaign to make Sudan malaria-free on 20 April, and the signing of an agreement with the Gezira Agricultural Scheme to support indoor residual spraying activities as part of corporate social responsibility efforts.
The meeting further discussed the importance of aligning Global Fund support with financing from other partners, including the World Bank, Gavi, the Islamic Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, and the Qatar Fund for Development, in a manner that enhances integration and prevents duplication in funding health programs.
Discussions also addressed ways to improve supply chain efficiency, reduce operational costs, and sustain investments made through COVID-19 response financing, including mobile clinics, oxygen plants, and medical incinerators.
The Global Fund also praised the process of selecting the principal recipient for Sudan’s grant, describing it as one of the best experiences in terms of transparency, quality of discussions, and management of conflicts of interest, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining this momentum during the transition to the new implementation arrangements.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue coordination between the Federal Ministry of Health and the Global Fund in preparing a strong and focused funding request for Grant Cycle 8, ensuring access to services for all populations, enhancing efficiency, strengthening national programs, and mobilizing additional resources to support Sudan’s health system.