GFAN Africa and Global Fund are working together to ensure successful 7 th Replenishment of
the Global Fund as 2022 is the Replenishment year for the period 2023-2025. These are in
support of President Joe Biden's decision to host the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment
Conference in the United States in the second half of 2022. The Conference, held every three
years, convenes leaders from governments, civil society, the private sector and communities
affected by the three most devastating infectious diseases.
Global Fund is co-hosting the Preparatory Meeting with their Excellency’s the Presidents of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the
Republic of Senegal and the Republic of South Africa, virtually on the 23-24 th of February 2022
from 1:00 to 4:00 PM CET.
The Preparatory Meeting will bring the Global Fund partnership together to review its 20 years
of impact and lay the groundwork for its Seventh Replenishment. It will provide the opportunity
for governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society, multilateral and bilateral
agencies, private foundations, the private sector, and affected communities to discuss what it will
take to achieve the vision of a world free of HIV, TB, and malaria. Participants will also discuss
how the partnership can contribute to making the world better prepared to face future pandemics.
The Seventh Replenishment Investment Case will be launched at this meeting.
GFAN Africa will host a series of Civil Society Pre-Preparatory Meetings, which will bring
Global Fund advocates together to reflect on 20 years of impact, review the Seventh
Replenishment Investment Case, discuss messages, and plan of action. The Civil Society Pre-
Preparatory sessions will be held on 21&22 nd of February as a hybrid meeting in Nairobi-Kenya.
Provision is made for an Africa Civil Society organizations meeting to hold National Meetings
between 16-18 th of February in 5 co-hosting countries. This will provide the opportunity for
communities and civil society in these countries to reflect on the Global Fund’s 20 years of
impact, plan and support country activities, and briefing on the Seventh Replenishment and firm
up campaign plan/strategy.

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”

As we reflect on this powerful African proverb 40 years after the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis, it is important to ask ourselves if we are indeed equitably marching together towards ending the epidemic for all.

It is hard not to have mixed feelings regarding the progress made so far towards ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We certainly must celebrate all the progress made throughout the years, but it is also necessary to look at the existing inequities in health and access to lifesaving services. HIV epidemics continue to grow in countries and communities where the benefits of science and human rights are still not reaching those being left behind. AIDS is still one of the deadliest pandemics of our times: despite global commitment to reduce AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections to fewer than 500 000 by the end of 2020, 680 000 people were lost to AIDS-related illnesses last year and 1.5 million people were newly infected with HIV . Our access to essential health services should not be restricted by where we are born nor by our current circumstances. In fact, some groups of people are more affected by HIV/AIDS because of social determinants of health like poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of education, stigma, and racism.

We have never been more mindful of the need to unite our efforts and raise awareness of the plight of the many Africans affected by HIV. On World AIDS Day, we hear the call for an urgent end to the inequalities that fuel AIDS and other global pandemics. 

We risk missing the 2030 target for ending AIDS, a COVID-19 pandemic and a spiraling social and economic crisis if we do not act boldly against inequalities and inequities. Not that a lack of knowledge or tools to defeat AIDS is holding the world back, but structural inequalities that prevent proven solutions for HIV prevention and treatment.

Communities and civil society in Africa, GFAN Africa’s secretariat, WACI Health, have seen first-hand how we can collaborate and invite exhorts everyone to join the fight to get back on track to end AIDS, by continuing increasing visibility and identifying the inequalities that largely determine who has access to HIV services that meet their needs, who is experiencing HIV transmission and who is dying. Then continue advocating to adapt the AIDS response to prioritize programs, laws, policies and services that will best empower those still being left behind and eliminate those inequalities 1

As we commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1st, 2021, we also call on you to join us and ignite a flame of hope for all humanity to end the AIDS epidemic once and for all. By lighting a candle for World AIDS Day, you bring hope and shed light on all that must be done to eradicate HIV infections in our communities, countries, and continent. Our unified efforts and collaboration will tell the world that we are standing strong and fighting HIV head-on because as Elizabeth Nyamayaro reminds us: “If one of us is unwell, then none of us is well.”

Together, we can end AIDS. Let’s work together to make an impact.

WACI Health

A central component of universal health coverage is public health spending. Since the inception of the Abuja Declaration, most African countries have increased their budget allocation to health. From 2000 to 2016, economic growth in Africa averaged 4.6 percent annually, making it the second-fastest-growing region worldwide.  Despite this, funding has not yet reached the required levels to ensure universal health coverage. It is widely fluctuating, making that sector unable to plan and implement health interventions effectively, partly caused by aid dependence. Even though primary and preventive care is vital to achieving equity and sustainable progress towards UHC, governments are unwilling to allocate sufficient funding for key population programmes.

The 55 Member African States made a solid commitment to increasing health resources at home while strengthening health systems to address Africa’s health priorities while improving resource utilisation through enhanced accountability.  The coverage, financial protection, and equity are directly impacted by how public funds are allocated, spent, and used. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015. There is now a growing awareness that it is more important to consider the nature of resources available and their use than focus solely on the volume of resources required to succeed.

Learnings from countries’ experiences in promoting UHC through reform of public spending indicate that success requires a combination of:

•  Appropriate allocation of resources to health care – public resources are not allocated efficiently and do not target priority areas, notably health services for the most vulnerable;
• Annual public health budgets are not fully disbursed because of financial management efficiencies, resulting in missed opportunities for better health outcomes;
• It is often possible to move toward more equitable service coverage and financial protection without significant expenditures if public funds are used differently.

Under the Global Action Plan to achieve the SDGs, the Sustainable Financing for Health Accelerator (The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Global Financing Facility in particular) as well as the Global Fund Advocates Network Africa, RBM Partnership to end Malaria, WACI Health and UHC 2030 are collaborating to develop and deliver training on UHC Budget Advocacy in sub-Saharan Africa.  The multi-stakeholder collaboration aims to hold governments accountable for health funding policies, levels, and allocations, in a constructive way.

The training aims to develop training on health financing, UHC,As a result, there and budget advocacy to country-level actors from civil society, media organisations, and elected representatives and that can provide in-country support to budget advocacy activities undertaken by CSO actors and mentorship.

Countries that participated are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Through the passing of the torch caravans in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia, the impact of the Global Fund on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria has been explained. From mid-August onward, the Torch will cross into the East African region, where a series of events will be held to show how this partnership is changing lives.

“From the beginning, communities affected by the three diseases and civil society have been at the heart of everything the Global Fund does. Aid provided by the Global Fund extends beyond HIV, TB, and malaria in Africa. We have seen positive results in the health outcomes of our communities thanks to the integrated, person-centred health services, “says Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health in Kenya.

A variety of partners has helped accomplish the goals of the Global Fund throughout the years, including governments, multilateral agencies, bilateral partners, civil society groups, and people affected by diseases.

“We celebrate Global Fund’s 20 years of impact in Zimbabwe. Global Fund has helped save lives. This torch is a reminder of lives saved and also the work that remains undone. During this caravan, we will have a number of activities here in Zimbabwe. We will then hand over the torch to Malawi,” Rusike said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Zimbabwe has been removed from the global list of tuberculosis (TB) high burden countries.

We will continue to follow the torch as it travels across Africa, where there is much celebration and appreciation for the support received from Global Fund.

On 8 June 2021, GFAN Africa organized a webinar titled – The Global Fund at 20: An Africa Civil Society Dialogue on the sidelines of the HLM on HIV/AIDS. The webinar marked the launch of a series of activities by GFAN Africa to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Global Fund partnership.

In her remarks, Linda Mafu the Head of Political and Civil Society Advocacy at the Global Fund appreciated the role of civil society in reminding the world about the need for global solidarity for HIV treatment. This led to the creation of the Global Fund. She added that civil society fought for the right to life. She emphasized the 20 years celebration of the Global Fund are a celebration of life, political leadership and partnerships with civil society.

The webinar was held on the sidelines of the high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS and Florence Anam from GNP+ outlined the following civil society asks for the high-level;

1. Equitable and equal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for key populations and those in situations of vulnerability
2. Elimination of the structural barriers to achieving zero new infections, zero deaths and zero discrimination

• Fully resourced, efficient and sustained HIV response, integrated into systems for health, development, social protection, humanitarian settings and pandemic responses

Hon Daniel Molokele the Member of Parliament for Whange constituency in Zimbabwe renewed the call for a fully funded Global Fund especially at this time when there is donor fatigue and as the seventh replenishment is coming up.” In line with SDG3, it will not be possible to achieve targets in Africa without a fully funded Global Fund hence the need for the partnership to be fully resourced,” he noted. He urged civil society to push for increased domestic resources for health.

“HIV, TB, and Malaria are diseases happening at community level and community engagement is the best approach to fight the three diseases,” noted Olivia Ngou the Executive Director of Impact Sante Afrique. She appreciated that the Global Fund has put civil society and communities at the forefront of its interventions including at the decision making level.

Dr Vuyiseka Dubala-Majola from the Africa Center for HIV and AIDS Management in South Africa revealed that she is one of the 38 million people whose lives have been saved by the Global Fund. She added that in Western Cape Province of South Africa, she was one of the first people to benefit from ARVs free, from the Global Fund in 2004. Noting that Africa has come a long way, she emphasized that there are many more lives to save hence there is need for sustained and rigorous advocacy efforts.

“To world leaders, your efforts and investments in health are bearing fruit and should be sustained,” said Joyce Ouma a GFAN Speaker. She added that the Global Fund has helped her stay alive.  She urged for efforts to protect the gains made so far towards defeating HIV, TB and malaria and asked that the world must urgently invest additional resources to defend progress against HIV, TB and malaria, fight COVID-19, and save lives.

The Global Fund has played a critical role in efforts towards ending TB, noted Carol Kachenga from CITAM Plus. She added that she is a beneficiary of the work of the Global Fund, as she expressed disappointment that people still die from TB, a disease that is preventable and treatable.  She decried the deadly divide between TB commitments and the reality as she called for urgent action and sustained focus on TB amid COVID-19.

On 21 April 2021, GFAN Africa facilitated a regional day of action to thank Germany for their additional contribution of EUR 140 million to the Global Fund. These resources will support the Global Fund’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries and mitigate the impact on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programs, including through deploying diagnostic tests, protecting front- line health workers and strengthening health systems.

This contribution comes at a critical time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, adversely affecting the most vulnerable communities, threatening progress against HIV, TB and malaria, and putting a strain on already overstretched health systems, including at community level. In June 2020, Germany contributed EUR 150 million and we are grateful for this earlier contribution.

This thank you letter was sent by GFAN Africa’s in-country partners to German Embassies in 13 African countries and to German missions to the African Union and the East African Community. Our partners- Impact Santé Afrique – for outreach in Francophone Africa also translated the letter into French. The 13 countries that joined in this ‘Thank You’ outreach are South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Cameroon, Madagascar, Benin, Lesotho and Senegal.

At GFAN Africa, we applaud Germany for their commitment to global health, as we thank Germany based colleagues whose strategic advocacy contributed to this significant outcome.

On 21 April 2021, GFAN Africa and partners, including communities living with and affected by HIV, TB and malaria and civil society organizations organized a day of action to thank Netherlands for contributing to the ACT Accelerator and to the Global Fund. The letters of appreciation sent by civil society organizations in 14 countries in Africa to Netherlands embassies and consulates expressed sincere gratitude to the Netherlands for their contribution of €52 million to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. These funds are critical to support the accelerated development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

€12 million will be channeled through the Global Fund to strengthen the COVID-19 response while protecting gains made against HIV, TB, and malaria over the last two decades. The remaining €40 million will be invested in the purchase of vaccines through COVAX – the vaccines pillar of the ACT-Accelerator. This pledge follows a previous contribution of €85 million to the global response to COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, the Netherlands contributed €137 million. Read the full letter here.

Impact Santé Afrique, our partner in Francophone Africa translated the letter to French and civil society organizations sent the letters to Embassies of Netherlands in Francophone Africa. The 14 countries that joined in this ‘Thank You’ outreach are South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Madagascar, Benin, Zambia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal.

The letter was shared widely on social media. You can view the twitter messages here and retweet

World Malaria Day falls on April 25, 2021. The theme for this year is: Zero Malaria – Draw the Line against Malaria. This is the right time to draw the line against malaria by taking action to end the disease at this time when COVID-19 has made the fight harder. On this day, let’s highlight and appreciate the efforts that have been made over the years to control malaria and celebrate the gains so far.

Since 2000, the world has made historic progress against malaria, saving millions of lives. According to the World Health Organization’s world malaria report 2020, 7.6 million malaria-related deaths have been averted since 2000. This is a huge success resulting from concerted efforts by Governments, donors, and multilateral institutions such as the Global Fund partnership, which provides 56% of all international financing for malaria, and has invested more than US$13.5 billion in malaria control programs since the year 2002.

In Ghana, data suggests that the proportion of deaths attributed to malaria per 100,000 population has decreased from 10.8/100,000 in 2012 to 1.1/100,000 in 2019.

Notwithstanding, half of the world still lives at risk of malaria. Ghana remains part of the top countries in the world which contributes to the global malaria burden.  Globally, 409,000 people died from the disease in 2019. An estimated two-thirds of these deaths are among children under the age of five. Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. These statistics should make us restless, especially because malaria is a preventable and treatable disease.

As malaria continues to cause needless deaths, COVID-19 has complicated the fight to end malaria. A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria shows that in 2020, COVID-19 massively disrupted health systems and health service delivery for malaria in low- and middle-income countries in Africa.  Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions related to the response caused disruptions to essential malaria services. Initial messaging that aimed to reduce coronavirus transmission advised the public to stay at home if they had a fever, potentially disrupting treatment for those who may have had malaria and needed treatment. The lockdowns slowed down malaria prevention programmes such as the distribution of mosquito nets. This disruption to malaria prevention and treatment is causing increase in deaths from the disease and potentially will lead to a surge in deaths in subsequent years. Children and pregnant women particularly remain at great risk.

The fight against malaria must remain a priority. It is time for rigorous efforts to protect everyone who is at risk of malaria and to guard the tremendous strides made in fighting the disease. This calls for high impact investments in education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, including research and development and building stronger health systems.  To achieve this, there is need for stronger political leadership, more funding including domestic resource mobilization and increased innovation. Community engagement, robust partnerships with private sector, foundations, academia, Government, civil society, for joint planning, execution, transparency and accountability will play an important role in malaria elimination.

Continuing to invest in research & development, scaling up country-driven solutions as well as innovations such as real-time data and next-generation nets will help us stay ahead of the mosquito and its killer tactics. Social and gender norms that present barriers to accessing healthcare especially among poor and vulnerable women and girls who are often primary caregivers should be addressed.  These actions to beat malaria must strongly engage communities and the youth.

The commendable efforts to beat COVID-19 must not be at the expense of accelerating progress against malaria. Malaria investments can be leveraged to fight COVID-19 and emerging diseases by promoting and facilitating safe and timely treatment of fever and ensuring that health workers are adequately protected and equipped.

Critically, malaria programmes must be integrated with broader efforts to build stronger systems for health, which are anchored on established community health systems. Further, ending endemic diseases such as malaria will contribute to strengthening fragile health systems and beating pandemics like COVID-19 because ending malaria will reduce the burden on health systems and increase capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to pandemics.

 

Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19, malaria elimination remains a viable goal that will contribute to achieving universal healthcare coverage so that everybody has access to efficient, effective and affordable healthcare wherever they are and whenever they need it.

Malaria elimination is possible. Zero malaria is within reach.

World Malaria Day falls on April 25, 2021. The theme for this year is: Zero Malaria – Draw the Line against Malaria. This is the right time to draw the line against malaria by taking action to end the disease at this time when COVID-19 has made the fight harder.

On this day, let’s highlight and appreciate the efforts that have been made over the years to control malaria and celebrate the gains so far.

Since 2000, the world has made historic progress against malaria, saving millions of lives. According to the World Health Organization’s world malaria report 2020, 7.6 million malaria-related deaths have been averted since 2000. This is a huge success resulting from concerted efforts by Governments, donors, and multilateral institutions such as the Global Fund partnership, which provides 56% of all international financing for malaria, and has invested more than US$13.5 billion in malaria control programs since the year 2002.

In Ghana, data suggests that the proportion of deaths attributed to malaria per 100,000 population has decreased from 10.8/100,000 in 2012 to 1.1/100,000 in 2019.

Notwithstanding, half of the world still lives at risk of malaria. Ghana remains part of the top countries in the world which contributes to the global malaria burden. Globally, 409,000 people died from the disease in 2019. An estimated two thirds of these deaths are among children under the age of five. Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. These statistics should make us restless, especially because malaria is a preventable and treatable disease.

As malaria continues to cause needless deaths, COVID-19 has complicated the fight to end malaria. A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria shows that in 2020, COVID-19 massively disrupted health systems and health service delivery for malaria in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions related to the response caused disruptions to essential malaria services. Initial messaging that aimed to reduce coronavirus transmission advised the public to stay at home if they had fever, potentially disrupting treatment for those who may have had malaria and needed treatment. The lock downs slowed down malaria prevention programmes such as the distribution of mosquito nets. This disruption to malaria prevention and treatment is causing increase in deaths from the disease and potentially will lead to a surge in deaths in subsequent years. Children and pregnant women particularly remain at great risk.

The fight against malaria must remain a priority. It is time for rigorous efforts to protect everyone who is at risk of malaria and to guard the tremendous strides made in fighting the disease. This calls for high impact investments in education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, including research and development and building stronger health systems. To achieve this, there is need for stronger political leadership, more funding including domestic resource mobilization and increased innovation. Community engagement, robust partnerships with private sector, foundations, academia, Government, civil society, for joint planning, execution, transparency and accountability will play an important role in malaria elimination.

Continuing to invest in research & development, scaling up country-driven solutions as well as innovations such as real-time data and next generation nets will help us stay ahead of the mosquito and its killer tactics. Social and gender norms that present barriers to accessing healthcare especially among poor and vulnerable women and girls who are often primary caregivers should be addressed. These actions to beat malaria must strongly engage communities and the youth.

The commendable efforts to beat COVID-19 must not be at the expense of accelerating progress against malaria. Malaria investments can be leveraged to fight COVID-19 and emerging diseases by promoting and facilitating safe and timely treatment of fever and ensuring that health workers are adequately protected and equipped.

Critically, malaria programmes must be integrated with broader efforts to build stronger systems for health, which are anchored on established community health systems. Further, ending endemic diseases such as malaria will contribute to strengthening fragile health systems and beating pandemics like COVID-19 because ending malaria will reduce the burden on health systems and increase capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to pandemics.

Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19, malaria elimination remains a viable goal that will contribute to achieving universal healthcare coverage so that everybody has access to efficient, effective and affordable healthcare wherever they are and whenever they need it.

Malaria elimination is possible. Zero malaria is within reach.

By Mrs. Cecilia Senoo,

Executive Director, Hope for Future Generations Ghana

Focal Person, Global Fund Advocates Africa (GFAN Africa)

Developing Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund Board (DCNGO)