NAIROBI - World Vision Sudan will
receive $6.675m to combat malaria as part of a five-year grant to Sudan
by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) worth a total
of $43m.
The grant will enable World Vision to
distribute insecticide-treated bednets and conduct malaria awareness programmes
in the Shilluk Kingdom, Gogrial, Tonj, Tambura and Ezo County.
In addition, the team will work closely with Comitato Collaborazione Medica, an Italian non-governmental organisation which provides DOTS treatment for TB in southern Sudan.
Programme officer Steffen Horstmeier says, "We will be helping the people of southern Sudan to fight their biggest killer, malaria, and reducing the many cases of TB. Although we didn't get funding specifically to tackle AIDS, we will still try to raise awareness on HIV, since southern Sudan remains one of the few places in the world where the people have not yet heard of this disease."
WV Sudan health coordinator Molly Mwangi said she was ecstatic about the news of the GFATM grant.
"Malaria is a very serious disease in southern Sudan, and is particularly dangerous for the children and pregnant women. I am sure this grant will enable us to save many lives."