Australia will set aside $24 million of its investment in The Global Fund to directly support countries in the Indo-Pacific region, including Cambodia, to fight against infectious diseases.

“Other infectious diseases haven’t disappeared with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Australian Embassy in Cambodia said in a statement today.

It said the funding will help make sure COVID-19 does not derail the progress made in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Southeast Asia.

“So far this year, Cambodia has 80 percent fewer malaria cases compared to the same time last year and is on target for malaria elimination in 2023,” the statement said.

It said thanks to this global partnership, 38 million lives have been saved since 2002.