Global Fund Saves 1.8 Million Lives

The Global Fund recently announced that major progress has been made in the fight against treatable, preventable diseases, saving an estimated 1.8 million lives so far.

ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History reports that an additional 3,000 lives are saved each day by programmes the Global Fund supports like those that distributed around 30 million insecticide treated nets to families with children who are at risk of contracting the disease. That is an increase of 165 per cent over 11.3 million in mid-2006.

In FY 2006, members of the ONE Campaign urged the US Congress to increase support for the Global Fund. Congress responded by voting in favour of an amendment that secured $544.5m for the Global Fund.

For FY 2007, ONE's members sent over 200,000 letters to Congress, urging them to continue efforts to support the Global Fund. In response Congress included $724m for the Global Fund in the Continuing Resolution that passed Congress in February 2007, an increase of $179.5m over last year.

"The Global Fund is a success story and is getting results," ONE Campaign spokesperson Kimberly Cadena said. "It's crucial that America's leaders continue to support and fund the programmes that work. When the G8 meets in June, the United States and other leading nations must rise to the challenge of replenishing the Global Fund."

In addition, the Global Fund announced that 2.8 million DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) treatments were administered in the fight against tuberculosis, an increase of 100 per cent, or more than 1.4 million, in mid-2006.

Cadena continued, "Americans should be proud that our contributions to the Global Fund have helped save and change lives. That type of generosity is what Americans are known for, and it is the best reflection of our nation's values and of global humanitarian principles. ONE's supporters are working to raise awareness among voters in their local communities on the need for our nation's next president to prioritise efforts like the Global Fund. Saving lives is part of securing a strong future for our nation."

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a unique global public/private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organisations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.