On 13 January, WACI Health and GFAN Africa joined civil society organizations in Kenya and participated in public hearings for the year 2020/2021 budget. Thereafter, the civil society organizations presented a memorandum to the Permanent Secretary, National Treasury, and Planning, outlining budgetary concerns for the health sector.
Noting that health is a fundamental human right, the CSOs acknowledged the Government’s commitment to health and its focus on achieving Universal healthcare coverage. They urged the Government of Kenya to increase its allocation of domestic resources for health to ensure effective and efficient quality healthcare for all Kenyans.
Additional funds are urgently required for hiring additional health professionals, renovation of public health facilities, improving the supply chain management and for the expansion of the national referral system. Additionally, there should be emphasis and scaling up of promotional and preventive healthcare services. Investments in health should be considered in partnership with other sectors such as the environment, in the wake of climate change which has resulted in emerging and increasing vector-borne diseases.
Additional domestic resources for health are especially critical at this time that donor funding is dwindling as Kenya is a lower-middle-income country. Investment in health is key to achieving the 2030 development agenda and for sustainable economic growth leading to a prosperous Kenya.
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 6th 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.
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.
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.
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.
Olivia Ngou, a member of GFAN Africa, who on 19th November received the #ReachAward as a Rising Champion says ‘I believe malaria elimination will not be possible unless the local communities and civil society are fully and meaningfully engaged, as they are the front liners and the ones present in areas where the health systems are unable to reach, working with them will help to save lives but also ensure universal coverage of interventions for communities at risk”.
Olivia is a skilled and passionate advocate for ending malaria in her home country of Cameroon and worldwide. Her advocacy efforts include engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from students to Parliamentarians, to help them understand the importance of their role in ending malaria and galvanizing them to take action.
The Reach Award recognizes people who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment to disease elimination. The award is given by Reaching The Last Mile an organization that is committed to ending preventable diseases that affect the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities and helping millions of children and adults live healthy, dignified lives.
According to the 2018 Malaria report by WHO, in 2017, there were an estimated 219 million malaria cases worldwide. The report further posits that there was an 18% global decrease in malaria incidence between 2010 and 2017 and an estimated 28% decrease in global malaria deaths between 2010 and 2017.
There is a need for urgent action to get the malaria response back on track with countries most affected by malaria playing a very significant role. Besides, malaria must remain high on the political agenda, so that additional resources are mobilized and communities empowered to take ownership of malaria prevention and care.
Olivia Ngou receives the #ReachAward from Bill Gates
In November, the membership of GFAN Africa set aside a day of action when they said thank you to private sector organizations, Foundations, African Governments and donors; who contributed towards the successful 6th replenishment of the Global Fund which raised $14.028 billion.
Expressing gratitude for the strong commitment towards global health, GFAN Africa membership described the contributions as life – saving. They emphasized that the resources for the period 2020 – 2022 will reduce suffering, strengthen health security, and catalyze economic growth. The resources have equipped the Global Fund partnership to cut the mortality rate resulting from HIV, TB and malaria by half, avert 234 million new infections across the three diseases and save 16 million lives by 2023. Additionally, the funds will contribute to achieving universal healthcare coverage, the achievement of sustainable development goal three on the health and well-being of all, and indeed to building a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable world. A world in which no one is left behind.
While noting that African Governments doubled their contributions from the 5th replenishment, GFAN Africa membership underscored the need to increase the allocation of domestic resources for health, and highlighted that healthy citizens create wealth, leading to economic prosperity.
On 23 July in Nairobi, Kenya, WACI Health and KANCO hosted CSOs from Kenya who were joined by GFAN Africa representatives from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Rwanda and Tanzania for a candid discussion on the 6th Replenishment of the Global Fund and Domestic Resources for Health. The event – a panel discussion by representatives of communities, youth, civil society, and embassy of France, the Global Fund and Government discussed Kenya’s health financing status and why the Global Fund is a worthwhile investment.
There was emphasis on the need for a successful 6th replenishment of The Global Fund because it is efficient and effective. In addition a successful replenishment will contribute to:
Reduce mortality from HIV, TB and malaria
Saving millions of lives
Reduce and avert new infections
Inaction will result in the loss of millions of lives and loss of gains made so far.
Participants thanked France for its leadership by offering to host the replenishment conference scheduled for 9 October 2019 in Lyon, France and for calling on other donors to step up their fight in order to ensure a successful replenishment.
France is a big investor in the Global Fund because the Fund’s work saves and improves lives. “Increasing funding for the replenishment of the Global Fund will move us to a better place in healthcare. Tax payers in France, sacrifice for others to improve their lives through better health’ Said Dr Pierre Bello – Health Advisor, Embassy of France. He added that Kenya has a strong political will for a successful UHC and must take advantage of the external funding opportunities, to build stronger and stable systems of healthcare.
Through the support of the Global Fund, Kenya has better healthcare – systems, disease interventions and programs for the most vulnerable populations. Support to Kenya reaches those who need it – communities. Grace Adego, a community health volunteer – a panelist expressed her gratitude for the free ARVs she receives.
Regina Ombam – the Deputy Director, HIV Investments National AIDS Control Council noted that Kenya is a lower middle income country so donor financing is gradually dwindling. There is need for increased allocation of domestic resources for health so that existing funding gaps do not grow bigger. She noted that the Government of Kenya is increasing health financing and giving healthcare more attention and focus.
Ms Obam challenged those present:
To think of the possibility of a replenishment conference for Kenya – with Kenya government & stakeholders, to discuss the health of Kenyans and how to fund it in future.
That civil society should keep government in check more vigorously
Civil society voices are needed to end corruption in public finance management systems and to push for more resources.
There should be emphasis of integration within Government to stop wastage while implementing healthcare interventions.
The private sector should play a bigger role in complementing healthcare financing.
The Government should consider entering into social contracts with major funders of health programmes
There should be focus on disease prevention
Ms Fahe Kerubo a young girl note that HIV interventions are commendable. However, infections among adolescent girls and young women remain unacceptably high. Increased funding for health should address this challenge. The youth must be prioritized and put at the center of the HIV response.
There was a rallying call for additional resources for health from donors and the Government of Kenya and other implementing countries. The need for preventing healthcare was emphasized. Increased focus on health will lead towards a successful UHC and progress towards SDG3 on the health and wellbeing of all.
On 19th September, 2019 Global Fund Advocates Network in Africa (GFAN_Africa ) in collaboration with WACI Health organized a day of advocacy dubbed Day of Action for African Governments. Members of the Network delivered letters to Presidents of African Countries asking them to contribute to the 6th replenishment of the Global Fund and to allocate additional domestic resources for health.
Some of the letters which were delivered to Presidents
The replenishment conference will take place on 9 October in Lyon, France and seeks to raise at least 14 billion to be able to #getbackontrack to defeat HIV, Tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. These resources will help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria by half, and build stronger health systems by 2023. Further, resources for health will contribute to achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goal 3 on the health and wellbeing of all.
The ambitious target to eradicate the three epidemics in Africa can only be achieved if there is greater government ownership in ensuring that their countries fund programs and meet their national target in the global progress to eliminate the diseases to sustain gains made so far and make further progress.
GFAN Africa members in the following countries delivered letters to their presidents with copies to the Ministers for Finance, Ministers for Health and parliamentary committees for health and budget – Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Nigeria, Eswatini, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Congo and Ghana.
#teamCameroon after they delivered the letterSylla from GFAN Africa in Guinée speaks to the media on domestic resources for health
On 5 September 2019, at the Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town, GFAN Africa and WACI Health joined in an event organized by The Global Fund and Goodbye Malaria titled; Step up The Fight: How African Private Sector Will Help End AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030.
After years of remarkable progress in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, new threats have slowed progress and enabled the diseases to gain ground. With its capacity for innovation and collaboration, private sector in Africa plays a crucial role in stepping up the fight to end these epidemics.
The high-level event, also attended by South Africa’s and Namibia’s Ministers for Health, emphasized the important role of partnerships with the private sector in ending HIV, TB and malaria as epidemics and driving impact and economic growth. Partnerships enable different actors work on a common vision to achieve high impact. Critical partnerships do break barriers.
Carol Kachenga of GFAN Africa speaks in the panel session
In his remarks, the executive director of the Global Fund Peter Sands emphasized that we must Step Up the fight or slip back. He added “The Global Fund is about collaboration, innovation, data driven execution and resources”.
Noting that health is a human rights issue, panelists posited that for sustainable healthcare, the right product must be available at the right place at the right time to the right people so as to achieve desired health outcomes. Private sector energy is needed to eliminate malaria and indeed, the three diseases. As a result of partnerships, the Coca Cola distribution model which reaches far and wide is being used to deliver medication to far flung areas.
Panelists pose for a photo with Peter Sands
At the event, Goodbye Malaria, which is supported by Nandos, an international restaurant group founded in South Africa, as well as other corporate partners, pledged R85 million (about US$5.5 million) to The Global Fund to expand a grant that aims to eliminate cross-border malaria transmission in Mozambique, South Africa and Eswatini. Project Last Mile, GBCHealth and Zenysis Technologies announced in-kind support and co-investments to increase the effectiveness of health programs through innovations. Africa Health Business pledged to support the mobilization of African business. These co-investments will total more than US$23 million.
These events will also contribute to achieving UHC and SDG3 on the health and wellbeing of all.
On 22nd of September 2019 in New York, on the side lines of the High Level Meeting on Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC), WACI Health, Rwanda NGOs Forum, IMRO, GFAN Africa and The Global Fund organized an engaging panel discussion themed: ‘Domestic Resource Mobilization and sustainable Health Financing in Africa’
This side event joined in the worldwide discussions on achieving sustainable financing for UHC in Africa through increased domestic resources for health.
Participants of the side event follow conversations
External resources can support as well as be leveraged to increase domestic financing. According to the 2019 Investment Case for the Global Fund, a successful 6th replenishment of the Global Fund will spur US $46bn in domestic resources from implementing countries towards ending HIV, TB and malaria as epidemics, as well as strengthening health systems. It is critical that African Governments leverage this window of opportunity by supporting the replenishment and also by stepping up their direct investments into health programs.
Ms Rosemary Mburu (WACI Health) moderates the panel discussion
Panellists discussed the status of domestic resource mobilization for UHC in Africa. Africa’s leaders have in the past shown understanding on the importance of self-reliance through DRM as the primary source of development financing and demonstrated the will to improve the health of its populations (Agenda 2063, Africa Leadership Meeting). Commendably, African Union member states have increased the percentage of their government budget allocations for health, only seven AU states have reached the recommended 5% of GDP to health (2019 Africa Scorecard on Domestic Financing for Health). This is a clear indication that the continent has not moved sufficiently towards sustainability in health financing and as such Africa remains far behind the target it has set for itself of investing US$86.30 per capita, 5% of GDP and 15% of the government budget in health.
On the side lines of the HLM, GFAN Africa met France’s Global Health Ambassador Ms Stephanie Seydoux. The team had cordial discussions on GFAN Africa’s mobilization works for a successful 6th replenishment of the Global Fund.
Left to right Ms Stephanie Seydoux, Evaline Kibuchi, Cecilia Senoo & Nooliet Kabanyana on the side lines of the HLM
Still, while in New York, GFAN Africa, WACI Health, Section 27 joined other partners in health in a protest against the removal of progressive language from the political declaration.
Sizwe Nombasa joins in a protest in New York
The UHC HLM brought together for the very first time, Heads of State and Governments, representatives of States and Governments, Civil Society, Foundations and Private Sector to re-affirm their commitment to achieve UHC and agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
On 18 June 2019, together with WACI Health, GFAN Africa met Dr Tamu Daniels the Country Coordinator of PEPFAR in Kenya and to Dr Dan Koros the Global Fund Liaison and presented to them a letter urging the US to make an early & increased pledged for a successful 6th replenishment of the Global Fund to save 16 million lives over the next three years.
WACI Health & GFAN Africa meet with PEPFAR | June 22 2019
On 18 June 2019, together with WACI Health, GFAN Africa met Dr Tamu Daniels the Country Coordinator of PEPFAR in Kenya and to Dr Dan Koros the Global Fund Liaison and presented to them a letter urging the US to make an early & increased pledged for a successful 6th replenishment of the Global Fund to save 16 million lives over the next three years.
In a brief and extremely cordial conversation, Dr Tamu emphasized that the US Government is deeply committed health in Kenya. This is visible in the huge investment of millions of dollars which have improved access to affordable and quality healthcare for millions of citizens.
She added that the focus on health is long-term with a vision of achieving SDG 3 on the health and wellbeing for all by 2030.
