The Fiji Ministry of Health (MoH) as the Principal Recipient (PR) of funding from the Global Fund has set up the Grant Management Unit (GMU) to provide administrative and technical support to the GFATM (Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria)  Round 8 supported tuberculosis (TB) and Round 9 Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) programs.

The GFATM consolidated Rounds 8 and 9 for Fiji commenced on April 1^st, 2010 for an initial period of twenty seven months (Phase I). Further funding for Phase II for another three years is based on the achieved performance of Phase I. The MoH has entered into agreements with three Sub-recipients (SRs) and four Implementing Units (IU’s). The SR’s include:

• The Fiji Red Cross Society (FRCS);
• The Fiji School of Medicine/Nursing [under the College of Medicines, Nursing and Health Sciences at the Fiji National University(FNU)]; and
• The Fiji Nurses Association (FNA).

The IU’s are various departments within the MoH which include:

• The Fiji Pharmaceutical Services (FPS);
• The newly established National TB Program (NTP);
• The National Reference Laboratory (NRL); and
• The Health Information Unit (HIU).

The SR’s have obligations to the PR only since it is the PR who enters into the Grant Agreement with the Global Fund. The PR has obligations and liabilities to the Global Fund and is responsible for the acts and omissions of its SR’s in relation to the program.

There are three (3) major goals for the Consolidated Grant:

• To reduce the burden of TB in Fiji (R8);
• To achieve improved TB and HIV/AIDS outcomes through strengthening the capacity of the health systems to deliver services (R8); and
•  To strengthen the health systems by means of improving the production, management and use of information (R9).

Targets and beneficiaries of the Consolidated Grant of the TB component – 650 TB patients over the five years; approximately 750 children in contact with infectious patients who will be screened and receive TB prophylaxis and treatment, people living with HIV/AIDs, populations in remote areas or outer islands and prisoners will benefit from improved access to diagnosis and treatment services.

Targets and beneficiaries of the HSS component under the MoH staff at the 101 nursing stations, 76 health centers, 19 sub-divisional hospitals, 3 specialist hospitals, 3 hub centers, national TB program and Health Information Unit. Capacity building for Civil Society Organizations and private practitioners – medical and pharmacists is also funded under Public Private Mix.