- Major charity Comic Relief US announces a US$10 million pledge to Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, the first from a private sector partner.
- This unlocks a matching pledge by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation resulting in a US$30 million commitment toward ending the three diseases.
- AIDS, TB, malaria, and prepare for future pandemics, say global leaders meeting at the annual World Economic Forum.
- In the upcoming Replenishment Conference, the Global Fund’s target is to raise at least US$18 billion from public and private donors to cut the death rate from HIV, TB and malaria by 64% and save 20 million lives by 2026. The United States President Biden already signaled a US$6 billion pledge and every US$2 contributed by other donors will unlock US$1.
DAVOS, Switzerland – Ahead of the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference, the Global Fund and partners called on all players in the private sector – philanthropists, foundations, and corporations – for a step-change in their commitment to ending AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria and building resilient health systems that contribute to a safer world.
Comic Relief US, an organization committed to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, immediately answered global leaders’ call at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos by announcing a US$10 million pledge to the Global Fund – becoming the first private organization to announce a financial commitment to the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment. The Gates Foundation committed to match this donation on a 2:1 matching agreement, resulting in US$30 million towards ending HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
“We are very grateful to Comic Relief US and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their continued commitment to our life-saving work,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Both organizations have been longstanding partners at the forefront of the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and building stronger health systems.”
Comic Relief US’s strategic partnership with the Global Fund began in 2015 and represents the largest total giving in Comic Relief US’s portfolio. The work supported through this partnership spans multiple countries in Africa to address issues including malaria, HIV and tuberculosis programs, with emphasis on building resilient health systems. The Gates Foundation is a core partner of the Global Fund and to date, has contributed US$2.74 billion to the Global Fund.
“The Global Fund and Comic Relief US are bound together by a shared commitment to transform the lives of people by responsibly and efficiently investing money in health programs that save lives,” said Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US. “Our new contribution to the Global Fund will help reduce inequalities by expanding health services to populations who often bear the burden of AIDS, TB and malaria across the world.”
Gargee Ghosh, President of Global Policy and Advocacy, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said: “The private sector plays a transformational role in the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious diseases and to prevent future pandemics. The Global Fund is one of the best investments in global health. This year’s Replenishment comes at a time when the gap in health equity has widened significantly and greater investment in primary health care to close the gap is critical. We are calling on governments as well as corporations, foundations and philanthropists to increase their support for the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment to help end the COVID-19 pandemic, prevent the next pandemic, and significantly reduce the burden of HIV, TB and malaria by 2026.”
The Global Fund is a proven investment model and has demonstrated extraordinary impact as a public-private partnership, saving 44 million lives since 2002. The private sector has contributed US$3.9 billion to date to expand access to innovative solutions, which have helped change the trajectory of HIV, TB and malaria.
“From day one, the Global Fund has appreciated the fundamental contribution of the private sector to the fight against diseases and worked closely with many private sector partners,” said Peter Sands. “We still have a lot to do together to bring the full power of the private sector to bear on the fight against diseases. We have made tremendous progress in the fight against HIV, TB and malaria in the last two decades, but we have also seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 on that progress. We must invest urgently to save lives from today’s infectious diseases while preparing the world for the next pandemic.”
U.S. President Joe Biden will host the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment conference later this year. The Global Fund’s target is to raise at least US$18 billion to fight for what counts –cut the death rate from HIV, TB and malaria by 64% by 2026, save 20 million lives, and strengthen systems for health to build a healthier, more equitable world.