September 12, 2022
Global Fund reports significant progress as programs recover from the impact of COVID-19
The Global Fund partnership has saved 50 million lives over the last 20 years
Washington, DC – The fight against AIDS, TB and malaria began to recover progress in 2021 after suffering devastating setbacks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, an annual results report released today by the Global Fund shows.
In 2021, 23.3 million people received lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for HIV, continuing the upward trend of people on treatment for the virus. 12.5 million people were reached with HIV prevention services, including 5.8 million people from populations most at risk and 6.1 million young people – regaining the ground lost when prevention services dropped in 2020. In the same time period, 5.3 million people received treatment for TB and 110,000 people received treatment for the drug-resistant version of the disease – an improvement following sharp declines in 2020 due to COVID-19. 280 million suspected cases of malaria were tested and 148 million cases were treated. 133 million mosquito nets were distributed to protect families from the disease.
Overall, the Global Fund partnership has saved 50 million lives since its creation in 2002.
“U.S. investments in tackling COVID-19 globally have paid off in lives saved. This new data drives home the resilience of the Global Fund and the impact of U.S. leadership,” said Chris Collins, president and CEO of Friends of the Global Fight. “In the face of unprecedented challenges during COVID-19, the Global Fund and its partners rallied, and now progress is getting back on track. Still, as the world continues to reel from conflict and related food and energy crises, people are becoming more vulnerable to disease. Progress is fragile, and our commitment to the Global Fund is more vital than ever.”
Since March 2020, the Global Fund has invested more than US$4.4 billion to fight COVID-19 and mitigate its impact on HIV, TB and malaria. In 2021, with bipartisan support, the United States contributed emergency funding of $3.5 billion to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism as part of the American Rescue Plan. In addition to taking advantage of the Response Mechanism, many low- and middle-income countries were able to respond to the pandemic drawing upon the same laboratories, disease surveillance, community networks, trained health workers and supply chains that were already in place to fight HIV, TB and malaria because of Global Fund investments.
Later this month, the United States will host the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment conference in New York City where the Global Fund aims to raise $18 billion for the next three-year fundraising cycle. U.S. funding for the Global Fund cannot exceed one-third of total contributions from all donors, which serves as a matching challenge for other countries.
“As we approach replenishment, I urge world leaders to step up and match the U.S. commitment to the Global Fund. If they do, together we can save 20 million lives over the next three years,” said Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Friends’ board chair and former chairman and CEO at Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm. “While we’ve started to recover from the disruptions wrought by COVID-19, we cannot become complacent. Our investments save lives – but only if we stay in the fight.”
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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.
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.
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