By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Global Fund Eighth Replenishment Summit has raised $11.34 billion to bolster the fight against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis (TB).
The announcement was made at the Summit in Johannesburg on Friday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa – co-hosted the Summit alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“This is an extraordinary achievement. We hope that future generations will look back on this moment as a turning point in the global fight against HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria.
“The pledge amount is no mere number. It is a solid foundation for impact and a renewed impetus for transformation and change. Millions of lives will be saved. Stronger, more resilient health systems will be built,” Ramaphosa said.
He hailed the pledges as a “defining moment for global health and for global solidarity”.
“At a time when multilateralism has come under increasing strain and global cooperation in health is being sorely tested, this 8th Replenishment Summit of the Global Fund is a milestone for global health.
“Building resilient health systems, scaling-up local manufacturing of medicines and diagnostics, and securing sustainable financing are vital for both social and economic development, “Ramaphosa said.
Leading by example, Ramaphosa announced combined pledges of about US$36.6 million (R630 million) from the South African government and the local private sector.
This includes some US$5.5 million from Goodbye Malaria as well as US$4.5 million from mining giant, Anglo American.
“We commend them for their unwavering commitment to improve the health of the people of our country, our continent and the world. The South African private sector has indicated that more pledges will follow.”
“Our pledge represents our confidence in the Global Fund partnership and in its ability to deliver on its promises, “he said.
Furthermore, the outcome is a result of the “determination of a diverse coalition that has come together in the interest of global health security”.
“This Summit reflects our shared commitment to invest in universal health coverage today for social protection and resilient health systems. It is up to us to demonstrate that solidarity and collective action can prevail over division.
“Without a healthy population, nations cannot prosper. It is therefore essential that we close gaps in access to medicines, diagnostics and financing, so that every country can protect its people and achieve health equity,” the President said.
The Global Fund was set up in 2002 and provides funding for HIV, TB, and malaria programmes in over 100 countries. Most of the funding has gone towards sub-Saharan Africa (72% from 2021 to 2024), according to its 2024 Results Report. It is the largest international funder of malaria programs.
This comes after withdrawal of PEPFAR funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) earlier this year, leading to the loss of billions of rands in funding for HIV programmes. This has led to clinics closing down, health staff getting retrenched, and HIV treatment and prevention services collapsing in sub-Saharan African countries.