December 2019 - WACI Health

GFAN Africa

December 20, 2019 byWACI Health Secretariat

Thank you Netherlands for Contributing to the Global Fund

On 18 December, GFAN Africa and WACI Health visited the Embassy of Netherlands in Nairobi and presented a thank you letter, appreciating the country for their generous contribution towards the 6^th replenishment of the Global Fund. Netherlands contribution of €156 million for the period 2020 – 2022 which will enable the Global Fund support countries in their efforts to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to save lives.

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Johnstone Kuya, the Senior Policy Officer in charge of strategic partnerships at the Embassy informed us that The Netherlands is keen on investing in HIV and AIDS, sexual and reproductive health and rights. Within these topics, the country has interests in prevention and care, key populations, and access to information and resources.

Acknowledging the huge role that civil society played in mobilizing resources towards the replenishment, Mr Kuya emphasized that there is urgent need for civil society to do high level targeted advocacy asking implementing countries to allocate more resources for health. It’s the only option in the face of dwindling donor funding as countries such as Kenya become middle income countries. “Governments must own take responsibility for the healthcare of their citizens” He underscored.

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December 13, 2019 byWACI Health Secretariat

UHC – We must #KeepThePromise to ensure #HealthForAll

12 December is Universal health coverage (UHC) day. We call on world leaders to #KeepthePromise they made at the 2019 High-Level Meeting on UHC to achieve #HealthForAll by 2030. UHC ensures that all people, everywhere, can get the quality health services they need without facing financial hardship. It is fundamentally a political goal, rooted in the right to health. It is also one of the smartest investments any country can make.

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We call for strong, equitable health systems that leave no one behind. And now that leaders from every country have committed to Health for All once again, we remind them that they must put the needs of the poorest & most marginalized groups first, not last. 210 million people worldwide must spend >25% of their household budget to get the healthcare services they need. No one should have to choose between health & other necessities no matter their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, ability or citizenship.

Everyone is entitled to the right care, at the right time, right in their communities. Health workers, young people and communities whose rights, needs and experiences have been sidelined for too long must be engaged. It’s one of the best ways to help people lead a healthy and prosperous life.

December 13, 2019 byWACI Health Secretariat

Civil Society’s Role Towards the 6th Replenishment of the Global Fund was Immense

On 2 December, GFAN Africa met with Peter Sands the Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on the sidelines of ICASA 2019 Rwanda and had conversations on the 6th replenishment of the Global Fund. The October 2019 replenishment raised $14.028 billion to help save 16 million lives and avert 234 million new HIV, tuberculosis and malaria infections in the next three years.

Peter acknowledged the enormous role that civil society played in advocacy in the run up to the replenishment, which led to increased contributions by implementing countries in Africa and ultimately, to a successful replenishment. A record 24 countries pledged towards the replenishment. In the build up to the replenishment conference, civil society organizations in Africa, had written letters to Presidents, Ministers for Health, Ministers for Finance and Ministers for Foreign Affairs, asking for early and increased contributions towards the replenishment. This is in addition to lobbying donor countries to increase their contributions.

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Peter emphasized that the focus of the Global Fund is to save lives and to prevent new infections.

Civil society organizations will give prominence to advocacy for implementing countries to increase their allocation of domestic resources for health. As the Global Fund increases allocations to implementing countries, they must also allocate more resources for health. This calls for long sustained action and ensuring broad spending on health to achieve universal healthcare coverage so that no one is left behind. Emphasis must be on primary healthcare and putting the last first especially those on the outskirts and in far flung areas. To ensure value for money, civil society must look out for where and how money is spent to ensure utmost appropriate use of resources.