U.S. support of PEPFAR, Global Fund helping to achieve global AIDS, TB, malaria goals

Aug 15 2012

In this post in Huffington Post's "Impact" blog, Deborah Derrick, president of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, examines "the success of U.S. efforts to promote better global health through support for [PEPFAR] and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria." She highlights U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent trip to Africa, writing that Clinton's "encouraging words" at the Reach Out Mbuya health center in Uganda reinforced U.S. commitment to an AIDS-free generation. She notes both PEPFAR and the Global Fund have supported the center and adds that "through hundreds of similar local programs all over the world, the Global Fund provides treatment to 3.6 million people who are HIV-positive."

In addition, "the Global Fund alone has financed the treatment of 260 million cases of malaria and 9.3 million cases of tuberculosis," she continues, adding, "We are also on track to cut global tuberculosis mortality in half by 2015, and a growing number of countries are making progress toward ending malaria deaths." She writes, "Through strong support of the Global Fund and PEPFAR, the Administrations of both George W. Bush and Barack Obama -- with bipartisan support from Congress -- have signaled that U.S. leadership recognizes the tremendous return on investment in global health," and concludes, "Every day, the U.S. commitment to better health for everyone brings us a step closer to achieving these critical goals. With continued support, they are within reach" (8/13).