News Releases

Global Fund Board Takes Strategic Decisions to Navigate a Changing Global Health Landscape

Framework to strengthen risk management and mechanism to enable more sustainable access to health products approved

14 July 2026

GENEVA – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) concluded its 55th meeting from 9-10 July, approving two key measures to strengthen the partnership’s ability to deliver greater impact in a rapidly changing global health landscape. 

The meeting started with a reflection of the first six months of 2026. In this last year of Grant Cycle 7, cost-effective execution is higher than ever before at this stage, despite multiple disruptive events. Already this year, lenacapavir, the new, game-changing innovation for preventing HIV, has been launched in nine countries. Twenty thousand people received this preventive medicine by the end of May, and by the end of June, this figure more than doubled to 49,000 people. Additional innovations to fight tuberculosis (TB) and malaria – new near-point-of-care tests and spatial repellents – are also moving forward in coordination with countries and technical partners.  

As countries prepare for implementation of Grant Cycle 8 (GC8) (2027-2029) in a truncated timeline, there is intense focus on the difficult trade-offs required from reduced grant allocations. Initial funding requests are incorporating the new strategic shifts, including integration of health services toward a stronger primary healthcare approach and preparations for explicit transition timelines: 61 disease components across 35 countries and three multi-countries will transition out of Global Fund support in GC8 and 21 disease components in 12 countries in Grant Cycle 9.  

“We are at a pivotal moment for global health,” said Roslyn Morauta, Chair of the Global Fund Board. “Countries are facing growing pressures from conflict, extreme weather events and disease outbreaks, while the global financing landscape is becoming more constrained and uncertain. These challenges make our mission to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria more important, not less. They demand that we make bold choices, manage risk wisely and do everything we can to help countries build stronger, more self-reliant health systems.” 

Non-Global Fund Financing Procurement 

In 2025, the Global Fund managed approximately US$1.2 billion in procurement, including US$1.02 billion in grant-funded health products for more than 80 countries through its Pooled Procurement Mechanism. A key part of supporting countries in their transitions is ensuring they have continued access to lifesaving health products negotiated through the Global Fund’s market-shaping strategy.  

To that end, the Board approved a new policy to expand access to quality-assured, affordable health products through the Global Fund’s procurement platform using financing outside of Global Fund grants, helping countries maintain reliable access to essential medicines and health products as they move toward greater self-reliance. To support this initiative, the Board also approved a separate, self-sustaining financing mechanism that introduces bridge financing for countries that cannot pay upfront. The mechanism will include a pre-financing modality to support countries and reduce access barriers. 

“As countries take on greater responsibility for financing their own health systems, they should not lose access to affordable, quality-assured health products,” said Bience Gawanas, Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Board. “Today's decision builds on one of the Global Fund’s greatest strengths, enabling us to support countries and partners with the market-shaping expertise and purchasing power they need to make the transition to more sustainable, resilient health systems.” 

Risk Report and Risk Appetite Framework 

The Board also updated the organization’s Risk Appetite Framework, reinforcing its commitment to making informed, impact-driven decisions in an increasingly complex operating environment. 

The Secretariat presented the 2025 Annual Risk Management Report showing that while the Global Fund remains institutionally resilient and successfully managed major risks throughout 2025, it is operating in an increasingly volatile and constrained environment that is expected to worsen in 2026.  

The Board approved an updated Risk Appetite Framework to strengthen the Global Fund’s ability to make informed, impact-driven decisions in an increasingly complex operating environment. The revised framework shifts the focus from monitoring risk to actively managing it, providing clearer governance, more explicit decision-making and earlier identification of emerging risks. 

GC8 Strategy Costing and Operating Expenses 

The Global Fund Secretariat presented a plan to deliver the GC8 Strategy within the Board-approved US$930 million operating expenditure envelope. To maximize the impact of available resources, the Secretariat proposed a two-track transformation strategy that combines immediate cost-saving measures – including reduced travel, voluntary early separations and optimization of assurance activities – with longer-term changes to the Secretariat’s operating model, including more tailored country support, greater use of automation and AI, shared service models and other operational efficiencies. 

ED Nomination Process 

The third Executive Director Selection Process Update reports that the selection process remains on schedule and has successfully moved from candidate outreach into the formal assessment phase. 

Ethics Report  

The Board reviewed the Ethics Office's 2025 Annual Report and Opinion, which found that the Global Fund continues to have a strong ethics and integrity framework in place, with risks within the organization’s control appropriately managed and no known unaddressed ethical breaches. The report also highlighted the need to adapt to a more complex operating environment by strengthening risk-based approaches, leveraging technology and fostering a culture of ethics and accountability across the partnership. 

Governance Effectiveness 

The Board discussed opportunities to strengthen the effectiveness of the Global Fund’s governance model to ensure it remains fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving global health landscape. Discussions focused on making governance more agile, efficient and strategically focused by streamlining processes, reducing duplication, clarifying decision-making and preserving the partnership’s defining principles of inclusiveness, representation and trust. 

Office of the Inspector General Annual Report  

The Board received the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) 2025 Annual Report, which found that the Global Fund remains well governed and well controlled, with no material weaknesses that would prevent it from achieving its objectives. At the same time, the report identifies a rapidly changing operating environment that will require the organization to adapt by prioritizing implementation, strengthening domestic financing, streamlining how it works and taking a more strategic approach to managing risk in GC8. 

Evaluation and Learning 

The Board discussed a proposed approach for a new evidence and learning model designed to provide faster, more relevant and cost-effective evidence to support decision-making across the Global Fund. The need for a new approach responds to recommendations from an OIG audit and focuses on integrating evidence and learning more closely into the organization’s planning and decision-making processes, while continuing to rely on independent evaluations where they add the greatest value. The Secretariat received substantial input to help shape how this work moves forward.  

Global Health Ecosystem 

A pre-Board panel discussion on the evolving global health ecosystem brought together Dr. Jean Kaseya (the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), Dr. Joe Phaahla (on behalf of the Eastern Southern Africa & West and Central Africa Board Members), Dr. Edem Adzogenu (AfroChampions/Accra Reset), Katy Kydd Wright (HeAR-CSO Project /Global Fund Advocates Network), Dr. Peter Piot (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine/Accra Reset High-Level Panel), Dr. Bruce Aylward (the World Health Organization) and Dr. Joy Phumaphi (African Leaders Malaria Alliance) to discuss how global health partnerships must adapt to fiscal constraints, shifting geopolitics and growing demands for country ownership. Speakers emphasized stronger country and regional leadership, clearer roles and accountability, and the continued relevance of the Global Fund’s multi-stakeholder partnership model, underscoring the need for more agile, coordinated and country-led approaches to sustain long-term health gains. 

“The global health landscape is changing rapidly, but our shared commitment to saving lives remains constant,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “By strengthening partnerships, supporting country leadership and focusing on innovation and impact, we can work together even more effectively to deliver better health outcomes, ensuring lifesaving innovations reach the people who need them most while maximizing the impact of every dollar.” 

The Board discussed the Global Fund’s role in an evolving global health ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the organization’s operating model, deepening partnerships and contributing to broader global health reforms. The discussion underscored the importance of building on the Global Fund’s comparative strengths, including country ownership, community leadership, market shaping and pooled procurement – to reduce duplication, strengthen collaboration and maximize impact for the people and communities the partnership serves. 

The Board also reviewed progress in strengthening collaboration with key partners, including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to better align support for countries and simplify the way they access health financing and services. The two organizations have identified priority areas for collaboration, including reducing administrative burden, coordinating support for malaria and health systems, exploring joint approaches for TB and new TB vaccines, and improving operational efficiencies. These efforts aim to help countries deliver more integrated, effective and sustainable health programs while advancing broader reforms across the global health ecosystem. 

The next Board meeting will take place in late October. The next Executive Director will be selected in that meeting, and the new Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board will begin their terms as soon as that selection has been completed.