Press release
In Paris, January 11, 2019
The financial targets announced today by France and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria do not match the investments recommended by the UN to end the three pandemics by 2030 [1]. Associations are denouncing a lack of political courage on the part of the head of state, which will have dramatic consequences for those affected by these three pandemics.
With the 6th Global Fund Replenishment Conference for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria set to take place in Lyon on October 10, 2019, the financial target has just been announced: $14 billion will be requested from governments to combat the deadliest pandemics over the next three years. That is only $1 billion more than three years ago [2].
All countries have committed to ending the three worst global epidemics by focusing on diagnosis and access to treatment for all. This means doubling the available funding [4] – a far cry from the 8% increase that has just been set for the Global Fund.
For our associations, international donors have just condemned the Global Fund to stand still for the next three years, while pandemics will return with a vengeance. In the 1970s, the lack of investment in the fight against malaria led to a significant resurgence of the disease. According to UNAIDS projections [5], a five-year delay in achieving the 2020 targets would result in an additional 2.1 million HIV infections and 1 million additional deaths between 2017 and 2030 in the 10 countries most affected by the epidemic. If efforts to combat tuberculosis continue at the same pace, 28 million [6] people will die from this disease by 2030, representing an additional cost of $983 billion [7].
We condemn the scandalous abandonment of millions of sick and vulnerable people to these devastating diseases. This vision is sadly short-sighted, because by underinvesting now in controlling these epidemics, they will explode and cost much more in a few years' time.
"It is important to commend France's leadership in the fight against pandemics. The financial target of $14 billion announced today for the Global Fund is higher than in the previous cycle, but it will not be enough to make the great leap forward that the planet needs in 2020-2022. Since 2015—the year the international community adopted this goal—we have already underinvested. There is still time to accelerate change by making more ambitious financial commitments—donor countries, recipient countries, and all financial partners."
Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Global Partnership to Stop Tuberculosis, the international organization responsible for combating this disease
Learn more about the Global Fund
The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector, and people affected by disease, created in 2002 to accelerate the end of the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria epidemics. It pools financial contributions from governments and enables effective action against the three major pandemics by mobilizing and directly financing access to care, prevention tools, and civil society action. Historically, France is the second largest contributor to the Fund. France will host the Global Fund's replenishment conference for the first time on October 10, 2019, in Lyon. In 2015, the international community committed to ending the three pandemics by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal No. 3).
Press contacts
Global Health Action: Lucie Brousset +33 (0)6 58 01 64 47 lbrousset@ghadvocates.org
ASSISTANCE: Elody Croullebois: +33 (0)1 77 93 97 65 / +33 (0)6 98 68 01 68 ecroullebois@aides.org
Coalition PLUS: Camille Sarret +33 (0)7 81 73 34 77 csarret@coalitionplus.org
Equipop: Lucie Daniel +33 (0)1 85 08 05 20 lucie.daniel@equipop.org
Médecins du Monde: Fanny Mantaux +33 (0)1 44 92 13 81 fanny.mantaux@medecinsdumonde.net
Sources
[1] Among the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations in 2015, the thirdis is dedicated to health and ending major epidemics https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/fr/health/
[2] The Global Fund raised $12.9 billion from its donors for the years 2017-2019. https://www.theglobalfund.org/fr/specials/2016-09-17-donors-pledge-nearly-13-billion/
[3] "Back on Track to End Epidemics," GFAN Full Report, July 2018, p. 7. http://www.globalfundadvocatesnetwork.org/campaign/get-back-on-track/#.XDiWQM9Kh25
[4] Global Tuberculosis Report http://www.stoptb.org/global/advocacy/unhlm_asks.asp
[5] "Miles to Go," UNAIDS Full Report, July 2018, p. 110 http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2018/global-aids-update
[6] 2017 Global TB Caucus Report: “Tuberculosis: The Cost” – according to a KPMG study
