Seattle, WA, October 10, 2019 —Today, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced government, non-government and private sector donors committed $14.02 billion to fight the three diseases, raising the largest amount ever for a multilateral health organization at its 6th Replenishment pledging conference hosted by the Government of France in Lyon. The global unity affirmed the Global Fund’s life-saving impact and critical role in improving the lives of the millions of people still living at risk of these preventable and treatable diseases.
Many governments and other donors, including the U.S., France, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada increased their commitments by more than 15% compared to the last Replenishment. Leading the historic Replenishment, U.S. congressional representatives committed to increase the United States’ long-standing support of the Global Fund to $1.56 billion for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, an increase of 15.6% from the FY 2019 funding level of $1.35 billion.
“Since its founding in 2002, the Global Fund has helped turn the tide against three of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. Today’s commitments of increased resources are fundamental to realizing the opportunity the world has to eradicate malaria in our lifetimes,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More. “These investments will be measured in cases prevented, lives saved, and dreams realized for a generation of children that could come of age in a world free from malaria, AIDS and TB.”
U.S. strong and continued leadership
“Congressional champions continue to see the inherent value of U.S. leadership by supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,” said Josh Blumenfeld, Managing Director of Global Policy and Advocacy at Malaria No More. “Continued U.S. leadership through support for the Global Fund will help ensure that millions of people are protected from the scourge of these three deadly, but preventable diseases, and help meet U.S. objectives to reduce extreme poverty.”
New and increased contributions from private sector and malaria-affected countries
For the first time, private sector and non-government pledges to the Global Fund exceeded more than $1 billion, including a $760 million pledge by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and commitments from new donors including the Rockefeller Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Rotarians Against Malaria. Significantly, 23 African countries – an unprecedented number, including Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda – made pledges to the Global Fund, either with first-time or increased contributions from the last cycle. In addition, Asia Pacific malaria-affected countries such as India and South Korea also pledged.
Ending malaria more possible with fully funded Global Fund
Saving more than 32 million lives from malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB since 2002, the Global Fund partnership is designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, TB and malaria as epidemics, and its successful replenishment is projected to help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria in half and prevent 234 million new infections from the three diseases by 2023.
Providing 65% of all global financing for malaria programs, a fully replenished Global Fund ensures continued ability to purchase essential life-saving tools such as long-lasting insecticide bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests and antimalaria drugs, including specific interventions for pregnant women and young children. In 2018, the Global Fund helped diagnose 220 million suspected malaria cases, treat 110 million malaria cases and distribute 131 million bed nets.
The Global Fund is also at the forefront of new tools and strategies, such as piloting the roll out of next generation bed nets with partners to combat insecticide resistance in Africa, fighting drug resistance in Southeast Asia, and supporting regional collaboration initiatives to accelerate malaria elimination.
As The Lancet Commission on malaria eradication recently concluded, malaria can and should be eradicated within a generation with the right tools, actions and increased funding.
Since 2000, global investments and innovation, led by the United States, have saved seven million lives from malaria and prevented more than one billion malaria cases.
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For more information or interview requests, contact Wynne Boelt at +1 206-661-2798 or wynne.boelt@MalariaNoMore.org
About Malaria No More
Malaria No More envisions a world where no one dies from a mosquito bite. More than a decade into our mission, our work has contributed to historic progress toward this goal. Now, we’re mobilizing the political commitment, funding, and innovation required to achieve what would be one of the greatest humanitarian accomplishments – ending malaria within our generation. For more information, visit www.malarianomore.org
