Global Fund Results Continue Upward Trend

Author:

David Garmaise

Article Type:

Article Number: 3

ABSTRACT The Global Fund is still experiencing large year-over-year increases in its results numbers. At the end of 2012, the number of people receiving antiretrovirals was up 27% over 2011. Over that same period, the number of insecticide-treated nets distributed for malaria increased 35%, and the number of HIV behavioural change communications rose by 88%.

The key results numbers for programmes supported by the Global Fund continue to rise at  a fast clip. On 30 November, the Global Fund announced 2012 year-end estimates for the outcome and output numbers it tracks.

The number of people receiving antiretrovirals (ARVs) is estimated at 4.2 million, an increase of 27% over the 3.3 million estimated for 2011. The year-over-year increase from 2011 to 2012 for some of the other numbers is even greater: 35% for the number of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) distributed for malaria; 46% for the number of HIV care and support services provided; and 88% for the number of HIV behavioural change communications. See the table below for details.

Table: Cumulative results for programmes supported by the Global Fund to end 2012,
showing comparison with end 2011

Category	Results to December 2012	Results to December 2011	Year to year change
No. of people receiving ARVs	4.2 million	3.3 million	+ 27%
TB smear-positive cases detected and treated	9.7 million	8.6 million	+ 12%
No. of condoms distributed	4.2 billion	3.5 billion	+ 20%
No. of HIV counselling and testing sessions	250 million	190 million	+ 32%
No. of malaria ITNs distributed	310 million	230 million	+ 35%
HIV behavioural change communications	300 million	160 million	+ 88%
No. of women receiving PMTCT treatment	1.7 million	1.3 million	+ 30%
Services to most-at-risk populations	30 million	23 million	+ 30%
HIV care and support services provided	19 million	13 million	+46%

The announcement from the Global Fund did not include an estimate of lives saved through Fund-supported programmes. In July, the Fund estimated that the programmes it supports had saved 8.7 million lives through the end of June 2012 (see GFO article).

The results numbers have been rising steadily and rapidly for several years. Given that fewer new grants have been awarded in the last couple of years (compared to previous years), one might expect that the large increases in the year-over-year results would start to diminish. That they have not yet started to go down is probably due to the fact that there are a large number of active grants, many of which have only recently entered their second phases.