ZIMBABWE DENIED FUNDING FOR ARV DRUGS

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has rejected Zimbabwe's sixth-round application for funding on undisclosed grounds, according to the Zimbabwe Standard. The rejection puts on hold any plans by the government to put thousands of HIV patients on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

Zimbabwe submitted its application in July after the funding body called for proposals for round six in April and set a the deadline for submissions in August, according to the Standard article.

In the application, the largest chunk of the money would be to scale up ARV treatment countrywide. Currently there only about 40,000 people receiving the drugs from state-run and private-sector programs, while more than 600,000 people actually need ARV drugs, according to the article.

The Global Fund's decision is final, and Zimbabwe cannot appeal because its previous fifth-round application was successful, the Standard reports.