Update on KZN grant

As the Global Fund prepares to disburse money to some of the projects approved during the first round of applications, it remains unclear whether people living with HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal will benefit from the US $72 million granted to the province nearly six months ago.

At last month's meeting between health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and the Fund's Executive Director Richard Feachem, Tshabalala-Msimang was asked to consult further on the KwaZulu-Natal proposal with all the relevant stakeholders.

But this process has yet to be completed. "There is still some consultation that is required between all the parties. Until this happens, we cannot say where we are," Sibani Mngadi, the health minister's spokesman, told PlusNews.

But Dr Robert Pawinski, a co-leader of the KwaZulu-Natal Enhancing Care Initiative, is optimistic that the money will reach the province. "We want to try and work with the department of health to try and resolve the issue as soon as possible," he told PlusNews.

The government controversially tried to block the province's grant, stating that the application did not go through the national government before being submitted to the Fund as specified in the application guidelines.

The Fund approved a US $72 million grant to KwaZulu-Natal, which would allow for a range of care-oriented services for people living with HIV/AIDS in that province, while South Africa received US $93 million for national programmes.

Tshabalala-Msimang had insisted that the KZN money should be spread across all of the country's nine provinces. But the Fund's guidelines stipulate that donations can be used only for approved projects.

Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who is also chairman of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), the country coordinating mechanism, told parliament last week that there was "no dispute, but a lack of information" between the province and the health department.

However, AIDS activists remain concerned.

"This has been an absolute disaster for the country and more especially for the province. Nobody knows what is going on, we are told one thing and then something else. The damage this has caused is immeasurable," an AIDS activist who asked not to be named, told PlusNews.