Benefits for America

Global Health Investment Helps America

U.S. investment in global health helps expand economic growth and trade while also strengthening U.S. security and diplomatic relations. While the primary goal of global health programs is to save lives, investing in efforts to end epidemics has considerable secondary benefits for the U.S.

A special thanks to our partners for providing engaging video footage for this campaign, including the Global Fund, the Global Fund Advocates Network, FedNet/Getty Images, and Grassroot Soccer in Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Impact on trade and supporting jobs

Disease is a burden on a family’s finances and a nation’s economic potential. The 32 million people whose lives have been saved through Global Fund-supported programs live mainly in developing countries that are increasingly critical to the U.S. economy. Today, 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside U.S. borders. The poorest two-thirds of the global population represent $5 trillion in purchasing power, and six of the 13 fastest growing economies in the world are located in Africa.

This translates directly into American economic gains. A full half of U.S. exports now go to developing countries—more than $600 billion annually and more than U.S. exports to China, Europe and Japan combined. This represents an increase of more than 400 percent over the last 20 years. And U.S. exports translate directly into American jobs – businesses that export goods provide one in every five U.S. jobs, and these exports are responsible for one in three domestic manufacturing jobs.

Learn how investments in global health programs like the Global Fund support U.S. and global security by helping to prevent the spread of deadly disease threats.

Read examples of how global health innovations can be used to promote healthier lives, both in the U.S. and developing countries.