The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has pledged to fund HIV/AIDS prevention programs in the Zambia's districts following the delay in releasing funds by the Global Fund, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday. The UNDP said it will give money to the country's Ministry of Health for six months to facilitate operations of District AIDS Task Forces (DAFTs) in their HIV/AIDS programs, Daily Mail said. DAFTs normally receive about 10 million kwacha (about 1, 900 U. S. dollars ) per quarter from the Global Fund through the Ministry of Health for various HIV/AIDS sensitization activities but the Global Fund has delayed to release the funds due to alleged embezzlement of funds by some public workers, Daily Mail said. UNDP Resident Coordinator in Zambia, Macleod Nyirongo said in Mansa District in Luapula province that the organization will pump in some money to enable the DAFTs to continue operation. The UNDP envoy, who is on a tour of developmental projects in the province, said when he met representatives of the DAFT in the district that funds from the Global Fund were supposed to have been released in June but had been delayed. He said the UNDP will give money starting this month up to December, adding that the organization would continue funding Zambia's Ministry of Health because its funding mechanism was different from other cooperating partners. Meanwhile, Nyirongo has bemoaned the high HIV/AIDS infection rate in the Luapula province which had continued to rise due to among other reasons low condom usage and some cultural practices, according to Daily Mail. The HIV/AIDS prevalence in the province has risen from 11 percent in 2002 to about 13 percent this year, Daily Mail said. He said the situation was worrisome, adding that there was urgent need to find a way of addressing the impediments of condom distribution. 