The Global Fund

In 2024, The Global Fund partnership continued to deliver on its promise to end the world’s deadliest diseases. We look back on some of the powerful people and stories that shaped a year of progress, resilience and innovation – harnessing the power of new tools and building strong health systems to accelerate the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, while preparing for future health threats. #YearInReview https://lnkd.in/ervG2nTv

Vihiga County Referral Hospital is one of 61 health facilities in Kenya that trains health care workers to integrate HIV, TB and malaria services into care for mothers-to-be and newborns.  Nurse Evalyn remembers when the hospital’s labor ward was understaffed. Now, she oversees 14 labor ward nurses – all of them trained to provide integrated care. The training is provided through a partnership among local health authorities, The Global Fund and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, with funding support from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited’s Global Corporate Social Responsibility Program. https://lnkd.in/exXJE-mN

Meet Mike Podmore, CEO of STOPAIDS. “I'm working for the end of AIDS globally, and to ensure the reduction of inequality for the poorest and marginalized around the world.” Mike is part of The Global Fund partnership, fighting to protect vulnerable and marginalized communities. Global Fund Advocates Network

Just Announced: The Global Fund and PEPFAR, have joined forces with the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch a coordinated effort to provide affordable and equitable access to the twice-yearly injectable PrEP lenacapavir. This effort aims to reach at least 2 million people over the next three years and represents a bold step toward ending AIDS as a public health threat. "We’re incredibly excited by the promise of lenacapavir and its potential to help us achieve a further significant reduction in new infections among individuals at high risk of acquiring HIV. ” Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund https://lnkd.in/ezHj9Y6Q

“In rural areas, people don’t really know – where can I go as a young person to tackle these challenges I'm facing?” Meet Paulina Kamati, a Youth Ambassador for i-BreakFree, a community engagement program run by Global Fund partner One Economy Foundation in Namibia. Paulina holds talks on HIV prevention and safe sex with hundreds of young people, followed by individual counseling sessions to screen for gender-based violence, sexual abuse, neglect and other risk factors for HIV. Paulina uses these gatherings to talk with each young person about their families, experiences, fears and hopes – and give accurate, practical advice based on the complete context of their lives.  https://lnkd.in/epDD-hCr

This year’s World Health Organization World Malaria Report presents encouraging data and trends in global malaria control. 2.2 billion cases and 12.7 million deaths averted worldwide since 2000, with 44 countries and one territory certified malaria-free. Despite the gains, malaria remains a serious global health challenge, claiming 597,000 lives in 2023 alone.     Executive Director Peter Sands shares his thoughts on investing in malaria, saving lives and boosting the global economy.    “Malaria investment is not just a health imperative – it is a strategic driver of broader, far-reaching economic and social benefits.” https://lnkd.in/e5Z8vBV2 

Great news: Germany and Indonesia, with support from The Global Fund’s Debt2Health initiative, have converted €75 million of Indonesia’s debt into transformative investments for public health. This agreement represents the largest Debt2Health swap to date and will significantly enhance Indonesia’s ability to fight infectious diseases and strengthen its health systems. “Redirecting financial resources toward health priorities not only helps us address urgent challenges like AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria but also strengthens health systems for future crises. This approach is an innovative, smart way to invest in the health of populations and accelerate progress toward global health goals.” Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. https://lnkd.in/ec9STzSf

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many of the tools, health systems, and infrastructure used to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria are vital in responding to other disease outbreaks, such as this year’s mpox epidemic. This includes surveillance systems to identify and manage new cases, high-tech labs for accurate diagnosis, and well-trained community health workers to educate on prevention and care. Fighting HIV, TB, and malaria not only saves lives - it also helps countries prepare and rapidly respond to future health threats. #LeaveNoOneBehind

“When innovation meets a rights-based disease response, we have a winning formula. This means accelerating the rollout of the best tools and eliminating obstacles to getting these where they are needed.” Executive Director Peter Sands calls for the global community to accelerate a human rights-based response to HIV and AIDS. It is not only the right path, but the only path to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. https://lnkd.in/ebmKWJQP

Community health workers are a bridge to delivering critical healthcare to those at risk of being left behind. Their role is indispensable in achieving universal health coverage. They deliver testing, treatment, and care to the most remote communities; and are often the first to detect and respond to disease outbreaks. But most community health workers remain unpaid, unequipped, and undertrained. Across Africa, up to 85% of community health workers are not paid.  Community health workers are the backbone of health systems – and they deserve to be treated as professionals with adequate pay, training, protection from harassment, and better integration into formal health systems. Over the 2024-2026 period, The Global Fund is investing over US$900 million in community health workers. #HealthForAll #ProCHW #UHC