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RI debt to Germany converted into funds to fight AIDS, TBC and malaria
Antara , Jakarta | Mon, 06/23/2008 5:23 PM | Health
The Indonesian and German governments have agreed to convert an Euro 50-million Indonesian debt to Germany into a Debt-Health program to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria requiring Euro 25 million in funds.
The debt conversion was announced by the Indonesian Finance Ministry debt management director general Rahmat Waluyanto, German Ambassador to Indonesia Baron Paul von Malthzahn, and Innovative Financing Global Fund chairman Robert Filipp, here on Monday.
The Debt-Health program aims to free up domestic resources through debt relief to invest in urgent public health needs in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The Global Fund identifies and negotiates debt conversion opportunities and then facilitates a three-party agreement among creditors, the beneficiary country and the Global Fund.
As part of this agreement Indonesia is to pay 25 million Euros to the Global Fund for the activities in Indonesia.
"This program enables us to convert debts into new funding sources for health development in Indonesia. We hope other lending countries will join this initiative and offer similar agreements to Indonesia and other countries who are struggling with health problems and huge debt burdens," Rahmat Waluyanto said.
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are still serious threats to the Indonesians' health. The country has 170,000 patients with HIV and the highest number of tuberculosis patients in Southeast Asia, with 150,000 people dying of tuberculosis annually. Almost 100 million Indonesians live in areas prone to malaria.
The Global Fund has so far approved funding of around US$200 million for six programs to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Of the total funds, US$108 million are provided to Indonesia.
Germany has approved six debt conversion programs for Indonesia involving funds totaling 143.56 million Euros, including for the Debt-health program.(**)
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