Global Fund Thanks U.S. Congress for Steadfast Support against HIV, TB and Malaria
23 March 2018
The Global Fund applauds the U.S. Congress for approving $1.35 billion in funding for the Global Fund for the 2018 U.S. fiscal year. This tremendous support from the United States is essential as the Global Fund accelerates progress in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
The Global Fund also welcomed Congressional appropriations of $4.65 billion for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, $755 million for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, and $261 million for USAID’s TB program. The Global Fund is a critical partner to all three of these U.S. bilateral efforts.
The sustained U.S. support for the Global Fund will strengthen economic growth and help reduce poverty in Global Fund implementing countries. It will also save lives, reduce suffering, and bolster health security across the globe. The Global Fund matches every dollar from the U.S. with two dollars from other donors to drive global progress.
“The support of the American people is fundamental to global progress in ending the epidemics of HIV, TB, and malaria,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Together, we will continue to deliver results – in close collaboration with PEPFAR, PMI, and USAID’s TB program – and will accelerate the end of these epidemics.”
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria and other advocates in the United States sought strong U.S. support for the Global Fund and U.S. bilateral global health programs for 2018. Chris Collins, President of Friends of the Global Fight, announced, “Friends is grateful to global health champions on Capitol Hill for sustaining funding for the Global Fund and other global health accounts in the FY 18 appropriations bill. Senators Graham and Leahy, as well as Representatives Rogers and Lowey, stood up once again for American leadership in global health. On behalf of communities most affected by the epidemics, we greatly appreciate the continued strong, bipartisan Congressional support for the Global Fund.”
News of the U.S. investment of $1.35 billion in the Global Fund comes as World TB Day approaches. The U.S. Congress has expressed its confidence in the Global Fund to continue leading the fight against TB, which kills more people per year than any other infectious disease. Global Fund grants represent approximately 65 percent of international funding to fight TB. The Global Fund is urgently working with the Stop TB Partnership and implementing countries to find and treat the “missing” TB cases – people infected with TB, but undiagnosed and untreated, and thus suffering and able to infect others. Stop TB and the Global Fund partnership are investing additional funds to find and treat 1.5 million of the missing cases by 2020.