Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) – Australia, Indonesia and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and malaria reached a history making agreement to support health programmes to treat and prevent TB in Indonesia. The 'Debt2Health agreement' was announced by the Australian and the Indonesian Foreign ministries. According to the 'Debt2Health arrangement', Australia will cancel 75 million Australian dollars from Indonesia's foreign debt. In exchange Indonesia will invest half this sum in national programmes to prevent TB with the help of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and malaria.
Although TB can be prevented and cured, it is spreading in Indonesia and in many other developing countries. Indonesia has the highest world rate of contagion and every year 90,000 Indonesians die of TB. Australia and Indonesia work together in other fields to improve Indonesia's education and health system, infrastructures and government and to protect the environment. With this partnership, both countries are committed to reducing poverty and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. In the area of healthcare, Australia is helping Indonesia to improve the health of women and children, to stop the spread of AIDS and other infective pandemics including tuberculosis. (AP) (15/7/2010 Agenzia Fides)
