Myanmar will seek alternative anti-disease aid from other donor countries after the Global Fund (GF) terminated a grant aid to the country to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria on Aug. 18, a local press reported Friday.

The alternative aid for combating the three diseases as well as for humanitarian need will be sought from Japan, the United Kingdom and other European donor countries, sources with the UNAIDS was quoted by the Khit Myanmar as saying.

The GF terminated its aid to Myanmar for alleged government restriction of its performance in the country.

After the aid termination, some remaining projects are to operate until the end of next March, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has expressed the regret over GF's termination of the grant aid to the country, deploring the negative impact it will have on people in need and urging the GF to reconsider its decision for the termination in the light of its obligations to people everywhere who are suffering from HIV-AIDS, TB and malaria.

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, an independent private foundation, was formed in 2001-02 under the resolutions of G-8 Summit comprising the US, UK, Italy, France, Russia, Japan, Canada and Germany. The organization was founded to assist nations in control of AIDS, TB and malaria.

Earlier this year, the Global Fund allocated 35 million dollars for its Myanmar operations in 2005-06 to fight the three diseases.

Of the aid, 19 million is for the campaign against AIDS, 7 million for TB and 9 million for malaria, according to Myanmar official media.

Myanmar has designated AIDS, TB and malaria as three major communicable diseases and efforts are being made to combat the three diseases.

Unofficial sources said the country is estimated to have about 300,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2004.

Source: Xinhua