Global Week of Action in support of the Seventh Replenishment

Author:

Aidspan

Article Type:

Article Number: 6

More than 55 countries come together to call for support to HIV, TB and malaria

ABSTRACT A report on the Global Week of Action in support of the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, which took place from 7 to 11 March in over 55 countries. Communities and civil society called for at least $18 billion for the next three-year Global Fund cycle.

The Global Week of Action was held between 7 and 11 March following the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment Preparatory Meetings hosted by five African Heads of State.  In our last Global Fund Observer (GFO) #410, we talked about the plans for the event.  Now we can report on what happened in more than 55 countries across the world.  This article is based on the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) press release issued on 15 March.

In global solidarity, communities living with, affected by, and/or vulnerable to HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria and civil society from over 55 countries from both Global Fund donor and implementing countries came together ‘virtually’ during the Global Week of Action to call on the global donor community to rally together and raise at least $18 billion for the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment.

The Global Week of Action was co-organised by Civil Society for Malaria Elimination (CS4Me), GFAN, GFAN Africa and GFAN Asia-Pacific (GFAN AP).  It mobilised communities and civil society collectively to create momentum as part of the “In Extraordinary Times…The Power of More” campaign developed by GFAN AP for the Seventh Replenishment.

Around the world, communities and civil society reached out to the Embassies and High Commissions of donor countries through physical and virtual meetings; with letters posted, couriered, hand-delivered or emailed; as well as on social media platforms.  The efforts aimed to raise awareness among donor country Embassies and High Commissions of the impact of Global Fund investments on national HIV, TB, and malaria responses, on strengthening health and community systems, and protecting and promoting the human rights and gender equality of key and vulnerable populations.

“The coming together of communities and civil society from implementing countries through a global mobilising effort showcases the support that communities and civil society have for the Global Fund.  As a global partnership, we have a shared responsibility for a successfully replenished Global Fund that an continue to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, accelerate the delivery of core interventions for the three diseases to achieve SDG 3 and UHC, and prepare effectively for future pandemics through strengthened health and community systems.” Masaki Inaba, Program Director for Global Health, Africa Japan Forum, and Steering Committee Member of GFAN AP.

 

Since its establishment in 2002, by the end of 2020 the Global Fund had saved over 44 million lives, put 21.9 million people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV, treated 4.7 million people with TB, and distributed 188 million mosquito nets.  In the face of COVID-19, in addition to maintaining core HIV, TB and malaria programme interventions, the Global Fund approved $4.1 billion to support 108 countries and 21 multi-country programmes to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the three diseases, and support health and community systems.  This has ensured health and community systems supported by the Global Fund were not disrupted and lifesaving HIV, TB and malaria testing, treatment, prevention, care, and support services continued to reach those most in need despite COVID-19 induced curfews and lockdowns.

“Communities and civil society are at the heart of the success of the Global Fund partnership which has ensured community systems are established and strengthened because of its investments in over 100 countries.  Raising at least $18 billion will ensure that resources can be increased towards the necessary strengthening and sustaining of community systems that are crucial for the long-term successes of the Global Fund partnership, and we call on the donor community as part of the Global Fund Board to actualise the Global Fund’s commitments in promoting and protecting human rights and gender equality,” said Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health, host of GFAN Africa.

As the Global Fund celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the Seventh Replenishment Conference hosted by President Biden of the United States in the third quarter of 2022 will provide a vital opportunity for the world to come together in global solidarity to get back on track to achieve the SDGs and global targets of HIV, TB and malaria while mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on the three diseases and the livelihoods of communities in Global Fund supported countries.

“The Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund is a major opportunity to advance global health equity and a major test of the world’s commitment to act on global priorities with global solidarity,” said Chris Collins, President and CEO of Friends of the Global Fund, and GFAN International Steering Committee Member. “We simply cannot afford to fall short of our funding target.”

For the first time in its 20 years history, the Global Fund Results Report 2021 reported declines in targets achieved for the three diseases at the end of 2020.  The Global Fund Investment Case was launched at the Seventh Replenishment Preparatory Meeting co-hosted by a coalition of African leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa on 23 and 24 February 2022, and calls for at least $18 billion to help towards attaining objectives set out in the Global Fund Strategy 2023 – 2028: Fighting Pandemics and Building a Healthier and More Equitable World.  It will:

• Save 20 million lives between 2024 and 2026.
• Reduce the death toll across the three diseases to 950,000 by 2026, down from 2.4 million in 2020.
• Avert more than 450 million infections or cases.
• Catalyse the scale-up of domestic investments of up to $59 billion.
• Reinforce systems for health and pandemic preparedness.
• Yield a return on investment of $1:31.
• Reduce inequities in health services by addressing gender-related and human rights barriers and building more inclusive health systems that leave no one behind.

 

However, the ask of $18 billion is the bare minimum required for Global Fund partners to effectively reverse the trajectories for HIV, TB a

Gearing up for the new cycle with NFM4 materials….

 

nd malaria, and it is not enough to meet 2030 targets.  Therefore, the GFAN is asking for support to raise at least $24 billion to close the resource gap needed to fight the three diseases for the Seventh Replenishment, $6 billion above the minimum funding need expressed in the Global Fund Investment Case.

Communities living with, affected by and/or vulnerable to the three diseases, and civil society around the world called on the global donor community to rally together with all stakeholders of the Global Fund partnership to advocate for increased pledges to raise at least $18 billion for the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund.