Global Fund says
millions more reached in fight against AIDS, TB, malaria

The world's biggest fund for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria said Tuesday it has significantly expanded its programs over the past year. The Global Fund, which is financed by government and private donations, said it has committed grants totaling $7.6 billion and now provides disease-fighting help to tens of millions of people in 136 countries.

The money has so far given 450 grants worth $3.5 billion to provide 30 million nets to ward off malaria-carrying mosquitoes; drugs against tuberculosis for 2.8 million people; and antiretroviral medicines for more than 1 million HIV-sufferers. The figures are about twice as high as a year ago.

According to the fund's own calculations, all the programs combined have saved the lives of more than 1.8 million people since 2002, when the Geneva-based organization began its work following an agreement by the G-8 group of leading industrial nations at their summits in Okinawa, Japan, in 2000 and Genoa, Italy, in 2001.

The Global Fund said it has set a target of tripling its annual income to at least $6 billion per year by 2010. (AP)