The Global Fund congratulated the United Kingdom for demonstrating outstanding leadership in global health with a strong commitment to help end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and save millions of lives around the world.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced a pledge of £1.4 billion for the coming three-year period, or an average £467 million a year, an overall increase of 16 percent over their contribution for the current three-year period.
Prime Minister May made the announcement during the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, where the first joint G20 finance and health ministers meeting is being held to discusssustainable health financing to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Earlier this week, Japan announced its own pledge for the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment, which aims to raise at least US$14 billion to support programs that can save 16 million lives from AIDS, TB and malaria.
“The UK’s pledge is a strong message to the world that we must all step up the fight to end epidemics,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “An increase of 16 percent is a tremendous show of leadership.”
Through the new pledge, the UK government will match up to £100 million of investment from private sector organizations to encourage stronger private sector engagement in the fight against malaria.
International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said: “We’re deeply proud of our efforts with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, but far too many people still die from these diseases.
“We’re going to continue to invest in controlling and ultimately ending these diseases, and we will be making sure other countries contribute generously. “These diseases cross borders. Therefore our support is something that helps the poorest people in the world but is also something that keeps us safe here at home.”
The United Kingdom has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund partnership since its inception in 2002. The UK’s investments have helped the Global Fund partnership save more than 27 million lives and reduce deaths from these three killer infectious diseases by one third.
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The United Kingdom has also been a leading advocate of an effective and modern approach to development that focuses on results, impact and best value for money.
France will host the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment pledging conference in Lyon 10 October 2019. The Global Fund seeks to raise at least US$14 billion for the next three years to help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria in half, and build stronger health systems by 2023. While many pledges will be announced at the conference itself, many donors choose to announce their contributions in advance of the meeting.
The UK continues to demonstrate strong commitment to global health; in 2020, the UK will also host the replenishment conference of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.-Press release
