South Africa is working against the clock to complete two applications for money from the $2-billion Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, Health Minister Dr Manto Tshablala-Msimang announced yesterday (tues).

The applications, which have to be in by Sunday, will focus on TB treatment and “behaviour change intervention” to prevent HIV/AIDS, the minister told a meeting of faith-based organisations in Durban.

“We are putting together our proposal through the SA National AIDS Council (SANAC) as our country co-ordination mechanism,” said the minister, adding that she had only received the application guidelines about 10 days ago.  

SANAC represents 16 sectors, including business, trade unions, youth, women’ s and religious organisations.  

Dr Nono Simelela, chief director of HIV/AIDS in the health department, stressed that the applications were “phase one of our approach to the fund”.  

“Because of the March 10 deadline [for applications] it was very difficult to get everyone on board, so we went with applications we already had ‘half-cooked’ at SANAC,” said Dr Simelela.

“We are going to open SANAC for broader stakeholder intervention to get broader consensus when we go for the second tranche of applications, which can go forward to the Fund in May,” said Dr Simelela.  

“This second phase will deal with treatment, care and support issues, and we will get more country interaction.”  

According to Fund criteria, country applications have to be submitted through a country co-ordination mechanism, which must include representation from government, NGOs, civil society and the private sector.

Successful proposals are likely to be those from countries in need, which reflect genuine partnerships between governments and civil society organisations.  

These will then be evaluated by the Fund’s Technical Review Panel, and funds may be disbursed as early as April.  

Finance Minister Trevor Manual earlier caused confusion when he announced at an international forum that South Africa needed better management of health services rather than money. This led to speculation that South Africa would not be applying to the Global Fund.