Global Fund urges donors to keep paying to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria in poor nations

Global Fund seeks cash to fight AIDS, TB, malaria

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A global group funding the battle against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in impoverished nations worldwide is urging donors to keep paying for the fight even as the economic crisis forces budget cuts.

The Global Fund is outlining the lifesaving work it can finance in developing countries from 2011-13 if donors pledge $13 billion, $17 billion or $20 billion.

Pledges will be made at an Oct. 5 conference at U.N. headquarters.

The fund’s executive director Michel Kazatchkine told The Associated Press on Wednesday he is “very concerned” that the global economic meltdown could make rich countries scale back their contributions.

But he says the fund’s success over the past eight years against the killer diseases makes it clear the effort is saving millions of lives.