GENEVA – The Global Fund applauds the government of Canada for allocating CAD 65 million to the Global Fund’s efforts to support low- and middle-income countries to fight COVID-19, including procuring and deploying millions of COVID-19 rapid diagnostics tests as well as reinforcing health systems.
The allocation is part of the CAD 120 million commitment made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in June 2020 to the ACT-Accelerator – a groundbreaking global coalition to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. The contribution to the Global Fund was announced today by the Honourable Karina Gould, Canada’s Minister of International Development.
The Global Fund sees the new contribution as a fundamental step towards enhancing the fight against COVID-19 while securing the gains made against HIV, TB and malaria.
“We are tremendously grateful to Canada for its steadfast support for the Global Fund,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “With this new investment, Canada is once again showing its leadership as an unwavering champion for a more just world where no one is left behind, and where everyone has access to disease prevention and treatment services.”
With the support of donors and partners, the Global Fund is playing a key role in the global response to the pandemic and in protecting progress against HIV, TB and malaria. We responded immediately and have already provided US$825 million to more than 100 countries to fight COVID-19, protect front-line health workers, adapt lifesaving HIV, TB and malaria programs, and reinforce fragile systems for health.
Together with ACT-Accelerator partners, the Global Fund has also contributed to providing more than 33 million tests to low- and middle-income countries, rolling out lifesaving dexamethasone treatment, and purchasing the equivalent of 73 million daily kits of personal protective equipment for health workers. As the world’s largest provider of grants for strengthening systems for health, the Global Fund’s investments in community responses, health workers, laboratories, supply chain improvements and health information systems are underpinning the response to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries.
But funds are running out. Country requests have already exceeded available funds, and appeals for funding continue to flood in as the pandemic increasingly threatens lives and livelihoods around the world.
“We cannot let COVID-19 become another battle half-won, like those against HIV, TB and malaria, where much of the world lives free from their threat, while the poorest and most vulnerable still die. We must fight COVID-19 everywhere. It is not only the just thing to do, it is also the best way to achieve true global health security,” said Sands.