Belgium provides additional €19 million for fight against deadly diseases

Belgium's minister of development co-operation, Alexander De Croo, has pledged an additional €19 million to the international organisation Global Fund to help in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, he said during the 10th edition of the European Development Days which took place in Brussels this week, writes Het Laatste Nieuws.

Belgium can play a crucial role in putting an end to these deadly diseases, according to De Croo, who pointed out that “Belgium houses the world-renowned Institute of Tropical Medicine, it has one of the most innovative pharmaceutical industries in the world and it supports various universities and NGOs that are very active in the health sector in developing countries.”

The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by some of the world's deadliest diseases. It mobilises and invests in support programmes in hundreds of countries.

Belgium has been one of the largest donors of the Global Fund since it was launched in 2002, contributing €212 million in total since its inception.