September 12, 2018
World’s Largest Global Health Financier Reports Progress in Fighting the World’s Deadliest Infectious Diseases
Washington, DC (September 12) – In its annual Results Report released today, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund) announced that its investments to fight the world’s deadliest infectious diseases have saved more than 27 million lives since the organization was founded in 2002. In 2017, Global Fund-supported programs distributed 197 million mosquito nets to prevent malaria and helped provide antiretroviral therapy to 17.5 million people living with HIV.
“Thanks to Congress’s continued bipartisan support, America has helped save 27 million lives through the Global Fund,” said Chris Collins, President of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. “That’s a remarkable achievement, and it’s possible because of the Global Fund’s focus on results and accountability, and through its collaboration with U.S. bilateral global health programs including PEPFAR, the President’s Malaria Initiative and the USAID tuberculosis program.”
The 2018 Global Fund Results Report highlights how the partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases continues to scale up proven solutions to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The Global Fund raises and invests nearly $4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in countries and communities most in need.
The report notes particular progress in:
- Catalyzing domestic investment. The Global Fund’s co-financing policy incentivizes implementing countries to invest more in local health programs. The new report notes an increase of more than 40 percent in domestic resources for health among Global Fund-supported countries.
- Fighting growing threats to global health security, including drug resistance. Deaths from drug-resistant TB now account for about one-third of all antimicrobial-resistance deaths worldwide. The Global Fund helps countries fight drug-resistant strains of TB by investing in local laboratory infrastructure and diagnostic capacity.
- Investing in innovation and new tools, such as a partnership with Unitaid to pilot new mosquito nets to combat insecticide resistance in Africa.
- Preventing HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women, who are up to eight times more likely to be HIV positive than young men in some countries in Africa. This year, the Global Fund launched HER – HIV Epidemic Response – to enhance health services for young women and improve access to education and information.
- Using funds efficiently and transparently. The Global Fund is consistently rated highly in independent reviews for exceptional performance, transparency and impact. As a global public-private partnership, accountability is integral to Global Fund operations, from grant-making and procurement processes to data management and service delivery.
“The Global Fund has demonstrated impressive results, but new threats could undermine these accomplishments unless we join with partners and increase global health investments,” said Jonathan Klein, Board Chair of Friends and Co-founder and Chairman of Getty Images. “With Global Fund Replenishment coming in 2019, it will be a critical year for U.S. leadership on global health. If the U.S. steps up its investment in the Global Fund this will encourage increased commitments from other donor governments. But without U.S. leadership the world risks resurgence of the AIDS, TB and malaria epidemics.”
In 2019, France will host the Global Fund’s next replenishment conference to raise new funds and mobilize partners with the ultimate goal of ending the epidemics of AIDS, TB and malaria.
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About Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria advocates for U.S. support of the Global Fund, and the goal to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. For more information about Friends of the Global Fight, visit www.theglobalfight.org.
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