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US Holds Up Funds for World AIDS Programs

Demands from the Bush administration have reportedly held up disbursement of $2.1 billion raised by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, according to the Wall Street Journal earlier this week (UN Wire). The Fund announced $1.6 billion in grants to 40 developing nations in April, but these countries have yet to see any actual funds, primarily because of US demands that the Fund set up its own disbursement system rather than relying on the usual agencies, such as the World Bank and the United Nations, Kaiser Network reports.

According to Kaiser Network, government officials acknowledge that the US demands will slow the distribution of the funds. Global Fund Executive Director Richard Feachmem is hopeful that the funds will be disbursed by the end of the year, according to the UN Wire. However, AIDS activists are concerned that the U.S. demands are excessive and will cost some their lives.

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Sources:

UN Wire 8/5/02; Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report 8/5/02

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