Global Fund wants PM Hasina to join coalition of world leaders

Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership want to include Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in their coalition of leaders and champion of global fund.

Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands and Stop TB Partnership Executive Director Dr Lucica Ditiu made the plea while calling on her at her official residence Gonobhaban.

PM's press secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan briefed the reporters after the meeting.

He said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are in the lists of their coalition of leaders.

He mentioned that these two organisations basically work in Bangladesh on TB, HIV and Malaria and its funding.

"They wanted to expand and deepen their relations with Bangladesh," he added. 

He said they wanted that PM Hasina would utilise her contacts and networks with the world leaders for fund mobilisation for them.

Nayeemul said both the executive directors said that the in-depth knowledge of the prime minister regarding TB, HIV and Malaria is amazing.

He mentioned that the malaria in Bangladesh except hilly areas are under control and the HIV situation of Bangladesh is also under control.

"They sill showcase these achievements of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said.

They invited the prime minister to attend an event of them in the coming days.

"If you come the success stories of Bangladesh would be showcased in the world arena. And by this the demand of Bangladesh will be strengthened," Nayeemul quoted them as telling the PM.

They mentioned that Bangladesh has registered these successes already and if some more assistance Bangladesh gets then they attain more success to reach the final target which is the elimination these diseases.

Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands and Stop TB Partnership Executive Director Dr Lucica Ditiu claimed that every year some 40,000 people died in Bangladesh due to TB related issues.

Nayeemul said that the prime minister differed with the number and asked the health ministry officials to check it.

The health ministry officials said that as per their data some 26,000 to 27,000 people of the country die of TB every year in the country.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked for a survey to figure out the death figures due to TB," Khan said.

Global Fund will support Bangladesh in this regard. 

They will also help Bangladesh to conduct Mobile diagnostics development in the country with the AI inducted hi-tech X-ray machine for quicker identification of the TB.

PM's press secretary mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the executive directors put emphasis on the continuation of the efforts to contain HIV related issues of the country.

"We must not stop our efforts to face the HIV related issues although Bangladesh is doing very well regarding the issue. This must not create self complacency, which could bring bad news," they agreed.

Sheikh Hasina said that the awareness programme will must continue more strongly so that bangladesh's achievement could not affected and put the country better position.

Malnutrition and cleanliness should have to continue to fight against TB, she said.

They are very keen to build the success further and ready to secure funding for Bangladesh, Nayeemul Islam khan said.

Regarding the community clinic issue, the prime minister briefly described the activities and how it is helping the rural community people.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Health Rokeya Sultana and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, among others, were present

The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. 

They raise and invest more than US$5 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice that fuels them, and strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries. 

In 2022, the Global Fund disbursed a record $5.2 billion to fight HIV, TB and malaria, support COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) activities and strengthen the systems for health that underpin any pandemic response. 

They unite world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers and the private sector to find solutions that have the most impact, and take them to scale worldwide.

The Stop TB Partnership is a hosted entity of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with its Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Established in 2000, the Partnership aligns 1,600 partner organisations.