Global Fund Cites Progress in Treating AIDS, TB, Malaria

Some 5.7 million lives have been saved since 2002 because of the Global Fund's efforts in treating AIDS, TB, and malaria, the organization announced this month.

Sixty percent of the 144 countries receiving assistance from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria are in sub-Saharan Africa. Since its inception, the Global Fund has distributed $10 billion to programs that address these diseases.

In just the 12 months since mid-2009, the Global Fund reports significant progress toward several goals: a 22 percent increase in the number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy to 2.8 million, a 30 percent increase in the number of smear-positive TB cases detected and treated to 7 million, and a 39 percent increase in the number of insect nets distributed, to 122 million.

A representative from the Global Fund attributes the organization's success to its hands-off approach to both identifying problem areas and implementing interventions.

"It has to be the country itself that is in the driver's seat and the way we are set up, the countries come up with proposals," said Stefan Embled, Global Fund director for resource globalization. "It is them that are identifying what their needs are at the country level and then there is an independent review to make sure that what is being proposed to achieve their priorities is technically and financially sound," he said.

The Global Fund is in the midst of a "replenishment year" during which the organization is seeking $17 billion to $20 billion to fund programs for the next three years. The gains that have been made are fragile and could be compromised if support wanes, Embled said.

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