The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provides grants to low- and middle-income countries to fund prevention, treatment and care programs for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. In 2003, the Global Fund adopted a three-year replenishment model to assure countries of sustained and predictable financial support for their programs. The Third Voluntary Replenishment resulted in $10.4 billion for 2011-2013 programs. The goal for the upcoming Fourth Replenishment is $15 billion from donors to fund grant programs for the next three years. The replenishment will close with a pledging meeting later this year.
GBCHealth’s Whitney White, who coordinates the Private Sector Delegation as its “Focal Point,” explains everything you need to know about it in her “Replenishment 101” primer.
What has been the Global Fund’s impact on HIV, TB and malaria?
The Global Fund invests in 151 countries around the world and provides 82% of the total international financing dedicated to TB, 50% of global funding for malaria and 21% of global funding for HIV.
The Global Fund and its programs contributed to significant strides in the fight against the three diseases, including:
What is the financial goal for the Global Fund’s Fourth Replenishment?
The Global Fund set a target of $15 billion for the Fourth Replenishment that will support health-related projects in low- and middle-income countries in 2014-2016. This amount is derived from the comprehensive needs analysis conducted by technical partners, detailing the gap in resources needed to effectively tackle each of the three diseases. The figure factored in only countries eligible to apply for Global Funds grants as of 2013.
The Global Fund collaborated with the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Stop TB Partnership and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to estimate the total resources required over the 2014-2016 period to finance HIV, TB and malaria programs. The target accounted for country realities, best practices in program design and delivery and opportunities to expand essential interventions for maximum impact.
Why is a fully funded Fourth Replenishment critical?
A successful Fourth Replenishment is necessary to maintain the achievements of the last decade and to accelerate and scale-up efforts against HIV, TB and malaria. The Fourth Replenishment is particularly critical because it represents the final opportunity to secure the funds needed to reach the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 deadline. Full replenishment is also fundamental to maximizing the impact of the Global Fund’s New Funding Model that becomes operational in 2014.
The $15 billion expected to be committed will leverage significant additional funding, including an estimated $37 billion from domestic sources in implementing countries and $24 billion from other international sources. Combined, this funding would allow 17 million TB and multi-drug resistant TB patients to receive treatment, saving almost 6 million lives over the three-year period. It would also enable prevention of more than 1 million new infections of HIV and millions of new cases of malaria. More than 18 million people would receive access to antiretroviral therapy, and approximately 590,000 additional lives would be saved by preventing malaria resurgences.
Why should the private sector contribute?
Securing the $15 billion needed is a shared responsibility that requires a joint effort of all global health stakeholders, including the private sector. To date, the major private sector donors that have contributed financially to the Global Fund include Anglo-American plc, Chevron Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and the (PRODUCT) RED partnership. In 2010-2012, these companies collectively channeled $152 million to the Global Fund. In addition to saving lives, these contributions are investments toward freeing emerging economies from the burden of the three diseases and creating new markets with great business potential.
How can companies get involved?
Private Sector companies can partner with the Global Fund by contributing directly to the Fourth Replenishment with a one-time donation or monetary pledge for each of the next three years. They can also partner with Global Fund implementers in recipient countries to find opportunities for co-investment, where private sector resources invested alongside existing Global Fund grants can help scale up services and fill gaps. Private sector partners are also encouraged to participate in Global Fund governance to ensure resources raised in the replenishment are optimally invested for high impact. Companies can participate at the global level through the Private Sector Delegation to the Global Fund Board or at country-level through Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs), which provide oversight of and prepare applications for grant programs.
Read more about the business case for private sector engagement with the Global Fund in an interview with Dr. Brian Brink, former Global Fund Board Member representing the private sector.