Global Fund Awards Plan $52 Million for International Health Programs

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Global Fund, a global partnership to prevent and treat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, has awarded Plan over $52 million for a set of health projects in Benin, Togo and Cameroon.

Global Fund has signed an agreement with Plan Benin to put in place a five-year HIV project in the country entitled, "Acceleration of access to services for the prevention of HIV infection, of care and treatment and for community support." Started in October with a budget of almost $15 million for the first 27 months, the project aims to curb the HIV epidemic which has beleaguered the country for over two decades.

"One thing that inspires and motivates me in the Global Fund grant is that beyond implementing a nationwide program, our role as Principal Recipient enables Plan to play a leadership role in the health sector in general," said Bell'Aube Houinato, Country Director for Plan Benin. "Plan will become more visible and with better opportunities to influence key development policies in the country."

Plan has also signed grant agreements with Global Fund for three-year malaria prevention programs in Togo and Cameroon, worth $26 million and $12.5 million respectively.

"Strong leadership, prior health program experience, good sharing of lessons learned with peer country offices and good doses of diplomacy were powerful skills and tools which contributed in securing this Global Fund project. It has put Plan at the paramount level among civil society organizations in the country," said Casimir Youmbi, Cameroon's Acting Country Director.

Luis Tam, who led Plan International USA's support to Plan staff in Togo, Cameroon and Benin, said, "Global Fund is now one of Plan's largest institutional donors worldwide, with an active portfolio of approximately $65.5 million.  The Benin project is second only to the Bill Gates-funded Hope for African Children in terms of award size for a HIV program. The grant for Togo represents one of the largest health grants ever received by Plan.

"These achievements are the fruit of intense and successful work by the in-country teams who worked along with Plan International USA in the last 12 months. Plan International USA is proud of this association and is planning to offer similar support in future opportunities with the Global Fund."

Founded more than 70 years ago, Plan is a child-centered nonprofit with no religious or political affiliations. Plan works in 48 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, empowering millions of children, families, and communities to lift themselves out of poverty using methods that are innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable.

For more information, please visit http://www.planusa.org.

SOURCE Plan International USA