THE Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria has secured more than US$1,6 billion in additional funding that will be available between 2012 and 2014.

In a presentation made on his behalf by National Aids Council Global Fund co-ordinator Mrs Rosemary Kona, the national country co-ordinating mechanism co-ordinator Mr Rangarirai Chiteure said Zimbabwe will apply for funding when a call for proposals is made in September.

"The GF has decided to open a funding opportunity by end of September 2012 and successful applicants will be notified by end of April 2013," he said.

"This funding opportunity gives a sigh of relief to countries like Zimbabwe where the current funding is ending in 2014."

Mr Chiteure said before September, the country should identify and agree on what to apply for in the next call for applications.

Mr Chiteure said the focus areas for next application will be determined by the results of the gap analysis. This development comes barely five months after cancellation of funding for 2011 referred to as Round 11 due to financial difficulties within GF.

"This forecast is better than expected, and it comes from the fantastic response we are getting to our transformation," GF's general manager Mr Gabriel Jaramillo said in a statement.

"But we need more to get the job done. Countries that implement our grants are saving more and more people, but demand for services are still enormous. With more money, we can save more lives."