The over FCFA 60 billion from the Global Fund is timely in assisting the government of Cameroon to curb HIV and tuberculosis.

Current information from the National Committees for the Fight Against HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) in the country reveals that subventions from the Global Fund for the Fight against HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis is contributing enormously to curb the diseases and care for those living with the ailments. While the fight against TB and HIV seems to improve each day, the greatest challenge now is to trace all those who need treatment for HIV and TB but who so far have not been found.

The Permanent Secretary in the National Committee for the Fight against HIV, Dr Jean Bosco Elat says the current subvention from the Global Fund will help prevent new infections through campaigns, put more HIV patients on treatment thereby reducing the mortality rate of people with HIV. He noted that as of now, the number of people on HIV treatment is about 31 per cent and there is hope that by the end of 2017, some 80 per cent of those who need treatment will be on treatment. The continuous Global Fund subvention has permitted the treatment of HIV to remain free. The National Committee for the Fight against HIV has a challenge to find the 34 per cent of pregnant women who need antiretroviral drugs but are not on treatment as well as half of the number of children that need TB/HIV treatment but cannot be traced. Being the main financial partner in the fight against tuberculosis in the country, the Permanent Secretary in the National Committee for the Fight against Tuberculosis, Dr Jean-Louis Abena Foe says the Global Fund subvention has permitted the government to expand services of TB clinics throughout the country with TB treatment being free since 2004. The Global Fund has also enabled the government to provide treatment free even to the complicated form of TB (resistant cases) alongside special nutrition support. With constant subvention from Global Fund, Dr Jean-Louis Abena Foe says they are out to increase by 5000 the number of TB cases detected in the society as such health personnel will be trained to improve the detection of the tuberculosis virus in people since it is a complicated virus to find.