Together with WACI Health and AHF Kenya, GFAN Africa visited the Embassy of Japan in Kenya, met His Excellency Ambassador Ryoichi Horie and thanked him for Japan’s early & increased pledge of $840 million for the 6th replenishment of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Explaining that the contribution by Japan will save millions of lives, Dr Kinyanjui the Executive Director of AHF Kenya said that Japan is commendable for global health leaderships. This contribution will help save 16 million lives and get us closer to achieving SDG3 on the health and wellbeing of all.

H E Ambassador Horie re-stated Japan’s interest and commitment to global health adding that Japan collaborates with the Government of Kenya and countries in the region in health. He mentioned that health will be one of the areas of focus during the upcoming TICAD 7 meeting in Yokohama on 28^th August 2019.

Thank you Japan!

by GFAN Africa

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.

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.

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.

In 2002, Finland joined hands with other governments, the private sector, civil society and people affected by HIV, TB and malaria to form the Global Fund.

The strategy of the Global Fund is strongly aligned with Finland’s principles and objectives to support the efforts of implementing countries to eradicate poverty and inequality and to promote sustainable development, with emphasis on the rights of women and girls and on the strengthening of countries’ economy to promote employment, better livelihoods and well-being.

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On 31 July, GFAN Africa wrote letters Aino-Kaisa Pekonen Minister for Social Affairs and Health and to Ville Skinnari Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade for Finland. In the letters sent to them directly, and through consulates and high commissions in countries across Africa, we acknowledged Finland’s support to the Global Fund since 2002.

In the letters we asked for Finland’s renewed commitment and support to the global fight against HIV, TB and Malaria – three of the world’s largest infectious disease killers, accounting for 3 million deaths in 2017 alone. In the letter we, emphasized that we must end the pain, disempowerment, stigma, illness and deaths resulting from HIV, TB and Malaria.

The following countries joined in the day of actin for Finland by delivering and sending letters to embassies and consulates of Finland Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini, Ghana and South Africa. This was followed by tweeter action and Facebook posts urging Finland to #stepupthefight

On 18 July 2019, GFAN Africa wrote a letter to The Netherlands, urging them to #stepupthefight. In the letter we noted with utmost gratitude, that since 2001 until the 5^th replenishment, the Netherlands has contributed significantly towards the global goals to end the epidemics of HIV, TB and Malaria.

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As we thanked The Netherlands for its unwavering support to the Global Fund, we urged the country to increase its contribution to the 6^th replenishment. The following countries joined in the day of action: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Africa, Burundi, Rwanda, Benin, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Eswatini. After delivering and sending the letters, GFAN Africa engaged Netherlands on Facebook and twitter asking the country to #stepupthefight

The Global Fund aims not just to save 16 million lives in the next three years, but also to end the epidemics. By tackling HIV, TB and malaria through building resilient, sustainable and inclusive health systems, the Fund will enable the achievement of universal health coverage and SDG3 on the health and wellbeing of all.

The Netherlands’ smart, effective health investments through the Global Fund have helped save more than 27 million lives. With contributions of more than EUR 919 million as of December 2018, the Netherlands is the 10th largest public donor to the Global Fund. In the last replenishment in 2016, the Netherlands pledged EUR166 million. We are asking Netherlands to increase its pledge for the 6^th replenishment by 15%.

On 11 July 2019 GFAN Africa held a day of action and called on the Canadian Government to increase its investment in the Global Fund.

Why Canada?

Canada hosted the 5th replenishment of the Global Fund. However, up until July, less than 100 days to the replenishment conference, Canada a global health leader has not made a pledge for the 6th replenishment of the Global fund. 2019 is an election year for Canada and this presents a possibility of Canada’s attention being diverted away from global health.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his speech during the 5th replenishment stated that Canada will continue to champion the important work being done to end these epidemics (HIV, TB and malaria) so that our world’s most vulnerable can turn their efforts to growing their communities and supporting their families…. These circumstances informed GFAN Africa’s decision to run a campaign targeting Canada.

The Campaign

Members of GFAN Africa wrote a letter and shared it with their members across Africa. In the letter, we acknowledged and appreciated that Canada is one of the top donors in the fight to end the epidemics of HIV, TB, and malaria and a firm promoter of gender equality and human rights. The Global Fund is asking donors to increase their pledge by at least 15% to raise at least US$14 billion, the minimum amount necessary so that countries get back on track to defeat HIV, TB, and malaria by 2030 in line with SDG 3 on the health and wellbeing for all. In this regard, we asked Canada to make an increased pledge of CAD 925 million for 2020 – 2022.

Members then presented the letter to Canadian Embassies and High Commissions in their own countries on 11 July 2019. In addition, GFAN Africa prepared campaign posters and used them to take photos and post them on social media. In countries where there are no Canadian Embassies and High Commissions, members delivered or sent the letter to the Embassy located in a neighboring country.

Ghana

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A total of 16 countries participated in the campaign namely: Mali, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Eswatini, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, DRC and Central Africa Republic. Participants of a meeting in Rwanda on developing and implementing of single TB/HIV concept notes and participants of the AHF Global Advocacy and marketing summit in Los Angeles, USA also joined in the online campaign.

Appreciated Support

Canadian advocates have been working on the Canadian government to increase the Canadian pledge and are calling for a 1 billion Canadian commitment. Part of their efforts included bringing GFAN Speaker, Loyce Maturu to Canada to speak about the importance of the Global Fund.

Canadian Advocates appreciated the increased voices from GFAN Africa partners in calling for the Canadian Government to Get Back on Track, Step Up the Fight and increase its investment in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

GFAN Africa together with UNAIDS and the Embassy of France in Kenya & Somalia organized a high profile panel discussion and cocktail on the 6th replenishment of the Global Fund. The theme was “Stepping Up the Fight to End the Epidemics of HIV, TB and Malaria 6th Replenishment of the Global Fund: a key moment to raise additional resources for the global goal to end the epidemics of HIV, TB and Malaria”. The host was Her Excellency Mrs Aline Kuster-Ménager the Ambassador of France to Kenya & Somalia who gave the welcome address.

The purpose of the event was to showcase the benefits of the Global Fund to Kenya and to make a case for the need for a successful 6^th replenishment. The event took place at the French Embassy in Nairobi on 25th July. The panelists were a representative of the Ministry of Finance in Kenya, The Global Fund, Community affected by the three diseases and the UN.

Invited participants to the meeting were donors, Civil Society, Government representatives, Global Fund Country Coordination Mechanism, Communities, UN and the media.

Discussants noted that tremendous progress has been made in Kenya to defeat HIV, TB, malaria with the support of the Global Fund. Kenya has come from a situation where there was absolutely no treatment for HIV to having more than 1 million people on ARV treatment. Despite the progress, there are funding gaps, hence there is need for a successful replenishment of the Global Fund to raise at least 14 billion, close the funding gaps to sustain the progress made so far, and scale up interventions. We must defeat the three diseases so that the next generation should not have to worry about them.

On July 22^nd 2019, Nairobi, Kenya –WACI Health and GFAN Africa conducted a three-day health financing literacy training to enable civil society to do advocacy for increased domestic resources for health. CSOs from 13 African countries participated in the training.

“Thanks to economic growth, more African countries are in a position to increase domestic finance towards national health development agendas, instead of overly relying on Official Development Assistance.” Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health.

The training modules covered topics on National Budgets, Bilateral Funding Mechanisms and Multilateral Funding Mechanisms. According to the AU Framework for Global Solidarity and Shared Responsibility for AIDS, TB and Malaria, increased DRM guarantees increased accountability, citizen’s participation, public financial management, efficiency, equity, and higher domestic policy ownership.  It will also be critical to ending the epidemics of AIDS, TB, and malaria through direct funding of the majority of national responses and by demonstrating the leadership to `guide donors’ investments through ODA and multilateral institutions like the Global Fund.

“African Heads of State committed to end AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030. This would require that donors maintain or increase their contributions to the Global Fund, and that African countries increase ownership of their development agenda through significant domestic contribution for the three diseases.” said Linda Mafu, Head of Political and Civil Society Advocacy, at the Global Fund. “Many African countries will transition out of donor assistance in the next five to ten years thus there is urgent need to mobilize domestic resources in response to this transition.”

Training participants acquired skills on advocacy; research and translation of data and evidence; engagement in health sector planning, budgeting, reviews and reporting on DRM; understanding allocations and spending and how these two relate to macro-economics: how to make an investment case to show the impact of health spending on a country’s economic growth and prosperity among other skills.

On International Women’s Day (IWD), we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. As we mark IWD 2019, we toast to women’s achievements – at home, at work and in our communities, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, workers, citizens and leaders. The theme of this year is #BalanceforBetter. A balanced world is indeed a better world. Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive. In fact, gender balanced communities and institutions are more prosperous.

Kenya has made commendable strides in women’sempowerment. For example, our country has the highest number of women serving on company boards in Africa at 19.8 per cent, above the global average of 15 per cent, according to a report by the International Finance Corporation. Twenty six percent of the Cabinet is made up of women.

These achievements are admirable, yet with room for improvement. Progress has been painstakingly slow and is a sign of resilience and strong – will in our society which is laced with unacceptable inequalities in health, education, leadership and at the work place. More than half of Kenya’s population is female. Investing in the well-being of women, then, is investing in the good of more than half of the population. It’s no brainer then, that nations must invest in women to make sustainable progress.

Key to investing in women is, investing in their health. Womenbear the brunt of dysfunctional healthcare systems. More women than men in Kenya are victims of gender based violence. Gender-based prejudices, violence, discrimination and inequalities not only violate rights of women but also impact their health and wellbeing. Women are caregivers and almost all the time take care of the sick and bear the emotional burden of providing care in inefficient and challenging healthcare environments.

According to WHO, gender requires us to ensure health policy, programmes, services and delivery models are responsive to the needs of women, men, girls and boys in all their diversity.
Like many women in sub-Saharan Africa, women in Kenya are disproportionately affected by diseases such as HIV. Worth noting is that gender-based violence and HIV are strongly entangled. In 2016, 34,000 adult women were infected with HIV, compared to 22,000 adult men, and adult women accounted for 910,000 of the 1.6 million people living with HIV in the country. Women also face challenges with sexual and reproductive healthcare, such as limited access to family planning, as well as stigma and discrimination.

As health advocates in Kenya, we commend President Uhuru Kenyatta for rolling out Universal Healthcare Coverage a component of health – one of the Big 4 agenda. We are grateful too, for the linda mama maternity package. These investments in health when fully rolled out will ensure that all Kenyans have access to quality healthcare without getting into financial hardships and sinking into poverty when they pay for healthcare services. This then requires the provision of adequate resources for health. We are asking the Government to allocate more funds for health – at least 5 per cent of GDP.

Further, forming partnerships with the private sector, and urging donors to contribute to international health funding initiatives such as the Global Fund whose 6th replenishment is scheduled for October 2019 will provide the much needed resources for investments in health for womenand indeed, for all Kenyans.
Increasing investments in health is good for the economy. It will enable Kenya realise the social pillar of Vision 2030 which aims to improve quality of life for all Kenyans through the roll out of human and social welfare projects and programmes in key sectors such as health. Further, the investments will enhance the roadmap to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 on health and wellbeing as well as Goal 5 on gender equality.

As we celebrate women’s achievements, each one of us is called to action. Especially to resist traditional ideas about the roles of girls and women which are detrimental to their health and restrict their contributions to society. We must take personal responsibility to accelerate gender balance by being sensitive to inequalities, raising awareness against bias and taking action for equality. It starts with you and me.