Global Health

Global Health

Global health has been a hot topic for a long time. Many of you have helped to keep it on top of the agenda. So, why are we calling it a hot topic now? The answer is simple: there's a lot going on right now and we want to highlight these things and ask for your support. Here's a summary of just a few of the many events coming up.

• The Global Fund is estimated to have saved 4.9 million lives through the funding its provided for the prevention, treatment and care of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The Global Fund is the largest funder of malaria and tuberculosis programs in the world and second only to PEPFAR on AIDS. This year, it will look to donors to provide an indication of funding for the next three years. Given the tough economy, this will be a challenge. You can take action here NOW to help get a robust ask for the Global Fund.
• GAVI - the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations - has brought developing countries together so they can more effectively bargain with distributors of vaccines for reduced costs. Coupled with innovative ways to finance the purchase of these vaccines, GAVI and its partners have negotiated the purchase price of the vaccine for pneumococcal virus down by 90% (from $70 to $7). Pneumococcal virus kills more children under 5 years old than any other single disease. GAVI will need increased resources to distribute this and other vaccines.
• Back in May, President Obama launched his Administration's Global Health Initiative (GHI), a $63 billion 6 year initiative. Early indications of the GHI showed increased funding for maternal and child health, neglected tropical diseases and family planning, but importantly it also set a framework for integrating U.S. efforts to improve global health and focused on women and girls. The staff at the State department overseeing the GHI is currently conducting consultations on the contents of the initiative, but we hope to hear more details in January.
• And, as always, the U.S. budget process will include many discussions on global health funding levels. The stark budget realities this year will challenge even those of us who have been through the tough fights on global health and broader development funding. Competing priorities across the government, and even within foreign affairs priorities, will mean that at a time when we know how to improve health and have shown it can be done, the funds needed may not be there.

During the next couple of months, ONE will post in-depth briefings on each of these events and more as they arise. We will also ask that you take action along the way.