News Releases

Denmark, Norway and Sweden Support Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response By Contributing a Total US$45 million

21 December 2020

GENEVA – The Global Fund praises Denmark, Norway and Sweden for allocating a total US$45 million to the Global Fund’s efforts to support low- and middle-income countries to fight COVID-19. Denmark, Norway and Sweden respectively pledged DKK 25 million, NOK 285.2 million and SEK 100 million.

The contributions, which are part of broader commitments made separately by each of the three Nordic countries over the last months to mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries, will help the Global Fund safeguard progress against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria; procure and deploy millions of COVID-19 diagnostic tests; protect health workers with personal protective equipment; strengthen formal and community health  systems; and reinforce sexual and reproductive health programs.

“We are incredibly thankful to Denmark, Norway and Sweden for their continuous and significant engagement in strengthening multilateral global health efforts,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “All three countries have been instrumental in promoting and protecting human rights and gender equality as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights. Their new contributions in the context of the fight against COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries demonstrate once again the unfailing commitment of these three partners to ensure protection, prevention and treatment to the most vulnerable across the world, including women and girls and marginalized communities.”

The three Nordic countries have been key supporters of the Global Fund since its inception.

Denmark is the 14th largest public donor to the Global Fund. The country pledged DKK 375 million to the partnership for 2020-2022, representing a 16.6% increase from its previous pledge.

Norway is the 11th largest public donor to the Global Fund and is the most generous on a per capita basis. The country pledged NOK 2.04 billion for the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment, covering 2020-2022. Norway co-chairs with South Africa the Facilitation Council for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, the global coalition to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tools.

Sweden is the eighth largest public donor to the Global Fund, with contributions totaling SEK 11.81 billion to date. During the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment, Sweden pledged SEK 2.85 billion to the partnership for 2020-2022.

With the support of donors and partners, the Global Fund has provided nearly US$940 million in 2020 to more than 100 countries to fight COVID-19, protect front-line health workers, adapt lifesaving HIV, TB and malaria programs, and reinforce fragile systems for health.

A founding partner of the ACT-Accelerator, the Global Fund has also contributed to providing over 40 million COVID-19 tests to low- and middle-income countries, rolling out lifesaving dexamethasone treatment, and purchasing the equivalent of 73 million daily kits of personal protective equipment for health workers.

The Global Fund is working with donors and partners to mobilize an additional US$5 billion to help countries continue to fight COVID-19, mitigate the impact on HIV, TB and malaria, protect health workers and reinforce systems for health.