Global Fund programs continue rapid expansion of treatment and services
29 June 2005
Geneva Newly reported figures show that programs financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have continued their rapid expansion of treatment and services. In the last six months, Global Fund-financed programs supported 90,000 new people on antiretroviral treatment for AIDS. A total of 220,000 people are now on AIDS treatment through programs supported by the Global Fund. An additional 215,000 people were provided with tuberculosis treatment under the DOTS strategy, bringing the total number of people treated for TB to 600,000. Another 1.75 million bed nets to help prevent malaria were distributed or re-impregnated, more than doubling the total number of nets to 3.1 million. The mean age of Global Fund programs is 14 months.
Combined, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund have supported national programs that have treated a total of 350,000 people for HIV/AIDS to date.
These results could not have been achieved without substantial technical assistance from UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Development Program and a number of other partners. The scale-up of AIDS treatment in particular is a collaborative effort, where donors, international organizations and non-governmental organizations all play supporting roles in national campaigns in many countries to roll out treatment - often under extremely difficult circumstances.
The Global Fund-supported HIV/AIDS programs aim to build up a long-term, sustainable effort to halt and reverse the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the countries hardest hit and to prevent its growth in countries still in the early stages. Resources from the Global Fund therefore go to a wide range of activities, from training and infrastructure strengthening in order to expand treatment and care to large-scale prevention programs and expansion of testing and counseling.
| Results at a Glance | Dec 2004 | May 2005 |
| HIV: People on ARV treatment | 130,000 | 220,000 |
| TB: People treated under DOTS | 385,000 | 600,000 |
| Malaria: Insecticide-treated nets distributed | 1,350,000 | 3,100,000 |
"It is extremely impressive that health programs deliver such substantial results just out of the starting gates," said Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund. "The dedication and commitment to results in the large majority of the programs we support is very encouraging, and we are optimistic that these programs will continue to meet or exceed their targets in the coming years."
The Global Fund has so far committed US$ 3.5 billion to over 300 programs in 127 countries. Around 60 percent of this funding has gone to Africa, and 55 percent to fighting HIV/AIDS. Around half of the funding is being spent on medicines, mosquito nets to prevent malaria and other products, while the other half is for strengthening health services. To date, US$ 1.3 billion has been disbursed. The programs are on track to meet combined targets over five years of 1.6 million people on AIDS treatment and 3.5 million people treated for TB, though they are slightly behind schedule in the goal of distributing 108 million bed nets.
A more extensive analysis of 51 grants that have reached the 18-month mark shows that 80 percent of these grants are performing against targets. Combined, these grants have achieved between 85 percent and 171 percent of their targets to date.
"We are seeing a revolution in providing AIDS treatment for those who need it," continued Professor Feachem. "The scale-up of treatment is moving fast and we can now be hopeful that universal access to treatment will become a reality before the end of the decade. This would not have happened without the bold leadership by the World Health Organization, which has engaged the world and committed us all to doing our best through the 3X5 campaign."
The Global Fund will give an update on its results by the end of the year.