January 24, 2019
Washington, DC – Today a bipartisan group of 137 U.S. Members of Congress urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Administration to increase the U.S. pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund) for 2020-2022. The Global Fund will hold its sixth replenishment in October 2019. The U.S. pledged $4.3 billion for the last replenishment in 2016.
In a letter led by Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), the members of Congress note:
“The Global Fund partnership has saved many millions of lives since 2002. Given the Global Fund’s impressive results and the continuing, urgent priority to save lives and end three of the major infectious disease killers in the world, we believe the United States should make a sixth replenishment pledge for 2020-2022 that exceeds the last replenishment.”
In October, a bipartisan group of 18 U.S. senators also called for an increased U.S. pledge to the Global Fund.
“Leaders from both parties in both chambers of Congress have signaled loud and clear that the U.S. remains committed to leading the international fight to end the AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics” said Chris Collins, President of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. “The Global Fund has been incredibly successful to date and now needs and deserves new resources. An expanded U.S. commitment to the Global Fund would send a powerful message to other donors and catalyze increased investment around the globe.”
The world’s largest global health financing organization, the Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It invests nearly $4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts and governments in countries and communities most in need. Global Fund-supported programs have saved more than 27 million lives since the organization was founded in 2002.
The House letter notes that in addition to saving millions of lives, Global Fund-financed programming advances U.S. national security and economic interests:
“The U.S. investment in the Global Fund does more than save lives and fight diseases – it helps keep Americans safe and benefits our diplomatic and trade relationships. The rapid spread of a new infectious disease is among the most likely scenarios to cause the deaths of tens of millions of people. U.S. global health investments, including through the Global Fund, build stronger disease surveillance and health delivery systems, helping the United States by addressing health threats before they reach our shores. It is an investment in U.S. security, and in countries that are critical markets for U.S. exports.”
In response to the House letter, Jonathan Klein, Board Chair of Friends, added, “We have the opportunity to rid the world of three diseases that have killed millions of people and ravaged communities on every continent. I commend the signers in the House for their bipartisan support. With their help, we can ensure the Global Fund has the resources it needs to continue to innovate, increase collaborative efforts and rigorously execute its plan to rid the world of these diseases once and for all.”
Earlier this month, the Global Fund released a summary of its sixth replenishment investment case, announcing it needs a minimum of $14 billion to get the world back on track to end AIDS, TB and malaria. The proposed investments will help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate for the three diseases in half and avert 234 million new infections by 2023.
The full House letter to Secretary Pompeo is available here.
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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 21st-century partnership organization designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. Founded in 2002, the Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases. The Global Fund raises and invests nearly $4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in countries and communities most in need. Working together, we have saved 27 million lives and provided prevention, treatment and care services to hundreds of millions of people, helping to revitalize entire communities, strengthen local health systems and improve economies. Learn more at https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/overview.
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