June 1, 2021
Washington, DC – Friends applauds President Biden for including $1.56 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in his fiscal year 2022 budget request released today.
“We want to thank the Biden administration for its commitment to ending the AIDS, TB and malaria epidemics,” said Chris Collins, president and CEO of Friends of the Global Fight. “This investment represents continued U.S. global leadership in addressing the biggest infectious disease killers. It will save hundreds of thousands of lives and help protect hard-fought gains against the three epidemics as the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The $1.56 billion in fiscal year 2022 funding represents the third contribution in the current three-year replenishment cycle for the Global Fund. It maintains funding at the same level as Congress enacted for the first two years of the cycle.
The funds will go towards saving an additional 16 million lives, reducing the number of projected AIDS, TB and malaria deaths by nearly 50 percent and averting 234 million infections over the current three-year grant cycle.
The budget proposes flat funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the tuberculosis program at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Friends looks forward to working with Congress to increase funding for bilateral global health programs in fiscal year 2022.
“I want to thank the Biden administration for maintaining a strong U.S. commitment to the Global Fund,” said Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Friends’ Board chair and chairman of Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm. “We look forward to working with Congress to secure this funding in final appropriations legislation.”
In March, Congress allocated $3.5 billion for the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Mechanism as part of the American Rescue Plan. That funding will go towards supporting critical public health aspects of the global COVID-19 response, including providing treatments and personal protective equipment, recruiting and protecting health care workers, scaling up delivery of rapid diagnostic tests, paving the way for a successful vaccine delivery and protecting hard-fought gains against 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.
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. Together with partners, it has saved 38 million lives since it was founded in 2002. 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, the Global Fund is challenging barriers and embracing innovation. Learn more at https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/overview.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Irwin
Originally published May 28, 2021. Updated June 1, 2021.