Health Minister Says No Homosexuality Ties In Global Fund Grant

Some Legislatures suspects Malawi Government accepted Homosexuality as condition to obtain Global Fund grant money signed a month ago in Lilongwe.

Parliamentarian from Lilongwe Msodzi South Vitus Dzoole Mwale was a first member to ask the Minister of Health to provide clarification on the matter.

Minister of Health, Peter Kumpalume downplayed the suspicions saying there is no single condition relating to homosexuality in the Global Fund Grant money.

The parliamentarians raised concerns during the continuation of the debate on the State of the National Address delivered by President Peter Mutharika on Friday 6th November.

“Global Fund does not place on us any obligation to accept homosexuality at all in giving us money to combat HIV/AIDS in Malawi." Clarifies Kumpalume

"The Ministry of Health is in the job of helping people at the point of need. We do not ask how people got their HIV from, we simply treat them.” he said

He then explained that “We as a country when we ask for money for the particular programme we tell them exactly what we want to use that money for but nothing to do with legalizing homosexuality. Global Fund does not ask for that it just give the money for the purpose we ask for.”

Global Fund assistance is used for the fight of Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB). 

In October, Global Fund gave Malawi US$378 million towards the fight of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

US$346 million is for HIV and TB while US$32 million is for the fight against malaria. 

President Peter Mutharika signedd Partnership and Acknowledgement of Grants Agreement with the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Mark Dybul, at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

The US$ 378 million support is the largest allocation that the Global Fund has made anywhere in the world and President Peter Mutharika said the support will save millions of lives of people.