Published: 24 February 2022

African Heads of States and Government Wednesday kick started the 7^th Replenishment campaign of the Global Fund to End AIDS, TB and Malaria. His Excellency President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chair of the African Union, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chair of African Leaders Malaria Alliance, His Excellency President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC, His Excellency President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa are rallying African countries to commit to the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to sustain the progress that has been achieved against AIDS, TB and Malaria over the last two decades.

“Our 20-year partnership with the Global Fund has contributed significantly to the roll back of major pandemics. I am calling on all partners, countries and institutions to support the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment. Let’s work together to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria” said HE President Macky Sall.

“To eliminate malaria in the continent by 2030, we must recommit to keeping the fight against malaria a priority in our national development agendas. The first step in this noble journey is to address the significant Malaria financing gap in African countries,” said HE President Kenyatta. “Indeed, about 63% of activities in national malaria strategic plans in Africa are currently unfunded. We must mobilise additional domestic resources, empower communities to act, and accelerate the deployment of new malaria commodities and interventions,” he added.

Twenty years since its establishment, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) currently provides 56% of all international financing for malaria, and has saved 44 million lives and cut the death toll from HIV, TB and malaria by 40%. The Fund has invested more than US$14.7 billion in malaria control programs as of June 2021.

Speaking during the launch of the replenishment, held on Wednesday 23^rd March 2022, HE President Kenyatta acknowledged the critical role played by the Global Fund partnership, noting that it had “brought hope where there was despair, comfort where there was fear and uncertainty and stability to households that were rocked by socio-economic turmoil.” Highlighting his 4-point agenda to end malaria in Africa, President Kenyatta recognised Africa’s challenges in the ongoing fight against malaria and called for more action to catalyse the continent’s advancement towards the goal of eliminating malaria by 2030.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, global economies remain vulnerable and there is a strong case for the need for sustained global solidarity and shared responsibility to curb diseases. Now more than ever before involvement of the private sector during the 7^th replenishment cycle will contribute to increased investments in health, providing a firm foundation for social development and economic growth.

“We cannot allow the progress made in highlighting HIV, TB and malaria to be undone by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is the time to deepen our commitment to building resilient national health systems through the Global Fund and other partners,” said HE Paul Kagame, President, Republic of Rwanda.

“We must all be accountable to all our communities in their diversity,” said HE Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa.

“To finally put an end to HIV, TB, Malaria and Covid 19-we must invest more to build the capacity of health workers, reduce inequalities, and make our health systems more robust, more resilient and more prepared for future pandemics” said HE Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC.

With the increase in global resource needs, and significant progress lost due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Fund’s funding needs have grown higher for the 7^th replenishment. The ask of at least US$18 billion will go towards fighting HIV, TB and malaria and building stronger systems for healthier lives, which reinforces pandemic preparedness. A successful replenishment will allow the partnership to save 20 million lives between 2024 and 2026, reducing the mortality rate by 64 percent across the three diseases by 2026, relative to 2020 levels. The replenishment will also catalyze the scale-up of domestic investments of up to US$59 billion toward ending the three diseases and strengthening systems for health through co-financing requirements and technical assistance on health financing.

The United States President Joe Biden will host the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference later in 2022.