By Spy Uganda
A section of African presidents have launched Global Fund’s $18 billion campaign to restore progress against AIDS, TB, and malaria amid COVID-19 disruption.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of Senegal, and the Republic of South Africa launched the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment campaign at a global health summit held virtually on Wednesday.
Donald Kaberuka, chair of the Global Fund Board, said, “We are extremely grateful to their Excellencies Presidents Kagame, Kenyatta, Ramaphosa, Sall, and Tshisekedi for co-hosting the high-level Preparatory Meeting to launch the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment.”
“This demonstrates their commitment and leadership in the fight against the three epidemics within their respective countries and illustrates Africa’s strong engagement and partnership with the Global Fund,” Kaberuka said.
“Today, they are calling on the world to join them in their determination to reach this ambitious goal to end HIV, TB, and malaria by 2030 and build strong national health systems to respond to emerging pandemics,” he said.
The Global Fund’s Investment Case, also released Wednesday, explained the need for $18 billion to get back on track to end AIDS, TB and malaria. The money will accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 of “health and well-being for all” and universal health coverage, and strengthen pandemic preparedness.
According to a press release from the Global Fund, a successful Replenishment would allow its partners to save 20 million lives between 2024 and 2026, reducing the mortality rate by 64%, and avert more than 450 million infections or cases, reducing the incidence rate by 58% across the three diseases by 2026, relative to 2020 levels.
In the 20 years since the Global Fund was created, the partnership has saved 44 million lives and cut the death toll from the three diseases by 40%. But the Global Fund’s Results Report revealed significant progress had been lost because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and global resource needs have increased.
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, said, “In the face of the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria, the choice is stark: We either increase funding, or we abandon hope of finally defeating these epidemics by 2030.”
“We must increase support to countries to build more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive systems for health. This is crucial for ending HIV, TB, and malaria, defeating COVID-19, and protecting people from future infectious disease threats around the world,” Sands said.
