Fuzzy Math at the Global Fund Replenishment? Why $13 billion might not be $13 billion and why it’s insufficient even if it is
Health GAP - "The Global Fund’s 5th Replenishment period has just kicked off with pledges from most of the major wealthy countries of the world. According to the Global Fund Secretariat those pledges totaled $12.9 billion.
But Health GAP is concerned it will not translate into nearly that much funding for programs. Even more worrisome is the fact that the Global Fund replenishment goal of $13 billion was adopted despite the fact that even $13 billion leaves a 20% gap in what’s needed to adequately address AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria over 2017–2019 — even after accounting for domestic and other international resources.
In light of this, Health GAP has three questions that urgently need answering:
1. What if the Global Fund’s new exchange rate formula for recalculating pledges is wrong?
2. How will we address the 20% gap left for this replenishment period?
3. Debt to health will help AIDS, TB, and malaria programs, but what will it mean for Global Fund country allocations?
These questions must be addressed if the Global Fund is going to turn this replenishment into success for communities. (Photo: Health GAP)