THE Swiss government is stepping up support for the fight against infectious diseases by contributing nearly CHF100 million ($102 million) to UN health agencies.
By Michael Gwarisa
The Federal Council on 21 August 2019 approved a contribution of CHF64 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) for the 2020–22 period and a further CHF30 million for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for the 2019–21 period.
Speaking to HealthTimes, The Swiss Embassy in Zimbabwe said the Global Fund was one of Switzerland’s priority multilateral organizations according to the dispatch on international cooperation.
Every year, 2.5 million people die of these three infectious diseases, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.
With this contribution, Switzerland is aiming at strengthening health systems and help combat poverty while also enhancing Geneva’s position as a centre of excellence on global health.
