Zambia today played down fears of a looming health crisis after the Global Fund suspended more than $300 million in health assistance to the country citing corruption, Reuters reported. The freeze, the latest graft scandal to hit President Rupiah Banda before an election due next year, is likely to affect the southern African country's fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao said the Global Fund would still continue supporting Zambia but the funding would now be made available through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). -- SPA