March 17, 2016
In February, Friends of the Global Fight President Deb Derrick had the opportunity to talk about “Mosquitoes and Malaria Elimination” at North Carolina State University as part of their Great Animal Seminars.
In the first of a two-part series, we share a few excerpts of her one-hour presentation, focusing on the bipartisan support for global health investments, the importance of the Global Fund to fighting malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and the importance of the Global Fund’s replenishment effort later this year.
Bipartisan Support
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the world’s largest public health financer. It provides approximately 50 percent of all global funding for malaria. With programs in more than 140 low- and middle-income countries, the Global Fund and its partners have saved over 17 million lives to date.
American bilateral and Global Fund investments have been seminal in the global fight against malaria. The President’s Malaria Initiative began under President George W. Bush and is being expanded under President Obama. Despite an increasingly polarized environment in Washington, D.C., these investments enjoy full bipartisan support. This support has ensured that the United States remains a leader in global health efforts throughout the world and has helped to drive dramatic successes in recent years.
How the Global Fund Operates
The Global Fund works with partners including governments, civil society, faith-based organizations, the private sector and affected communities to implement programs. This approach helps to build capacity while maintaining country ownership, and ensures that countries will be better positioned to transition away from Global Fund financing. Additionally, by combining the scale of its financing with the local knowledge and expertise of partners, the Global Fund is able to maximize the impact of each dollar invested by countries such as the United States.
Global Fund Replenishment
As part of the replenishment process, the Global Fund asks donors for three-year funding pledges. This allows for forward planning in fighting the three diseases. The Global Fund is currently planning for its Fifth Voluntary Replenishment Conference, which will take place in fall 2016. The amount of money raised from the United States, other donor governments, private sector partners and developing countries will determine how far and how fast we can go in fighting malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.