Papua New Guinea should tap mulilaterals and bilaterals, including AusAid, to help it draft a sound and credible request for funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said the fund’s executive director during a trip to Australia. Michel Kazatchkine, who is in Australia on a tour to solicit funding pledges, said Papua New Guinea can boost its chances of getting AIDS and HIV funding with the help of a neighbour like Australia, according to Australia News Network. The Global Fund rejected a 2009 proposal by Papua New Guinea because it failed the fund’s strict accountability standards.
Papua New Guinea’s existing grant has already expired, but the Global Fund will continue providing antiretroviral treatment in the country until 2011.