US pledges billions to Global Fund at replenishment summit at G20

Nations of the world and global companies have been making pledges to the Global Fund to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria on the sidelines of the G20 in Johannesburg on Friday afternoon, to help meet an $18 billion budget.

South Africa and the United Kingdom are hosting the fund’s eighth replenishment summit.

The United Nations deputy secretary-general, Amina Mohammed, has warned that the United States’ withdrawal of funding from UN agencies and developing nations could severely impact healthcare to vulnerable communities.

Via a video message, the US, however, on Friday pledged $4.6 billion to the Global Fund at the replenishment summit.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that Africa was central to the future of global health but that it does not expect charity, rather shared responsibility.

"It’s about investing in health security, economic resilience and long-term self-reliance and recognising the disease we are fighting, the vectors that kill, know no borders."

Every dollar donated to the fund yields a $19 health and economic return.

World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said that the sudden and unplanned cuts in health aid this year could stall the progress in treating HIV, TB and malaria.

"But we also face significant challenges with increasing drug resistance, gaps in access, mis- and disinformation, breeding mistrust and the need to integrate interventions."

Global Fund executive director, Peter Sands, said the Global Fund’s work was more important than ever as a revolutionary new HIV drug, lenacapivir, had the capability to change the trajectory of the disease that has killed 44 million people worldwide.