According to the official communique, the sum, which is in addition to 4.4 billion pounds (more than 5 billion dollars) contributed by London since the fund was established in 2002, will come from the budget for development aid to poor nations and will be delivered over the next three years.

The money will enable two million people to receive anti-retro viral therapy to fight AIDS, more than one million to access treatment for tuberculosis, and 86 million mosquito nets to protect families from malaria-transmitting mosquito, he said.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated that the contribution have saved lives by preventing and treating HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria and fostering health systems.

The United Kingdom is the third largest donor to the Global Fund to help end those diseases, after the United States and France.

jrr/iff/mem/nm