February 27, 2021
Friends Applauds House Passage of COVID-19 supplemental with $3.5 billion for Global Fund
Washington, DC – Today the House of Representatives passed a COVID-19 supplemental package that includes $3.5 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and $250 million for PEPFAR as part of a broader $10 billion international response to the disease. The package awaits Senate action and passage before going to the president.
“The House bill is a major, lifesaving step forward in U.S. leadership on the global response to COVID-19,” said Chris Collins, president and CEO of Friends of the Global Fight. “In addition to our moral responsibility to help, viral variants spreading globally make it clearer than ever that U.S. interests are served by helping other countries contain COVID-19. The Global Fund is central to international efforts to control the pandemic, and this new investment will scale up distribution of COVID-19 treatments and diagnostics as well as PPE to protect health workers. This support is also vital to protecting hard fought gains against AIDS, TB and malaria, which are still at dire risk from COVID-19.”
“I want to particularly thank Speaker Pelosi for her continued leadership on global health and support for the Global Fund’s lifesaving work,” Collins said. “We urge the Senate to approve the full international allocation in the relief bill, including support for the Global Fund.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Global Fund has utilized its innovative, public-private structure — based on accountability and community needs — and a worldwide network of partners to provide $1 billion in assistance to low- and middle-income countries fighting COVID-19. This assistance has become increasingly urgent as countries wait for access to treatment and prevention tools and as the pandemic continues to disrupt AIDS, TB and malaria programming.
“Protecting local health workers and ensuring that countries can test and treat their populations should be key priorities even as we work for equitable access to vaccines and other pandemic-related care. This support will help countries effectively stamp out the worrisome COVID-19 variants that we are seeing in countries like South Africa,” said Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Friends’ Board Chair and CEO at Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm. “With its strong procurement and delivery track record and focus on community mobilization, the Global Fund is perfectly suited for this role. It’s clear that no one will be safe from COVID-19 until we all are, and that’s why this new U.S. funding is so critical.”
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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.
For more about how reinvigorated U.S. global health leadership will contribute to a safer and more equitable world, read our new presidential transition document HERE.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL FUND:
The Global Fund is a partnership designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries. In partnership with governments, civil society, technical agencies, the private sector, faith-based organizations and people affected by the diseases, we are challenging barriers and embracing innovation. Learn more at https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/overview.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Irwin