Global Fund Demonstrates Strong Progress in the Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Thanks to U.S. Leadership, Health of Women and Children is Making Clear Gains

WASHINGTON, June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced its latest prevention and treatment numbers, noting in particular that Global Fund-financed programs have put 2.8 million people on treatment for HIV/AIDS, 7 million people have been treated for tuberculosis and 122 million insecticide-treated nets have been distributed to prevent malaria infection. In addition, more than 930,000 HIV-positive pregnant women have been treated to prevent their babies from being born with HIV.

"What these numbers tell us is that families around the world now have a fighting chance at good health, thanks to U.S. investment in the Global Fund," said Natasha Bilimoria, President of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an organization that advocates on behalf of the Global Fund in the U.S. "Malaria is a disease that targets children. The leading cause of death of women of reproductive age worldwide is AIDS. When the Global Fund finances the fight against these diseases, it's not just saving lives but also strengthening families and communities. Expanded investment in the Global Fund is critical to capitalizing on these hard-earned yet fragile gains."

The U.S. government is the largest donor to the Global Fund, as well as a member of the Global Fund's Board of Directors. Through the Global Fund, every U.S. dollar invested leverages more than $2 from donors worldwide, reaching 144 countries with prevention, care and treatment, as well as activities that strengthen local health systems.

This year marks a replenishment year for the Global Fund; every three years, the Global Fund calls upon donor countries to make three-year funding commitments. The Global Fund's replenishment pledge meeting will take place on October 5 at the United Nations in New York. Because the Global Fund is responsible for approximately two-thirds of malaria and tuberculosis financing worldwide, as well as about one-quarter of AIDS financing, the future of global health is closely tied to the future of the Global Fund.

"In less than a decade, the Global Fund has gone from an idea to a highly efficient tool to turn donor resources into lives saved," said Global Fund Executive Director Dr. Michel Kazatchkine. "We have made dramatic progress. No other area of development has seen such a rapid correlation between investment and desired results and impact as has been produced by the efforts of recent years to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Every dollar contributed to the Global Fund goes to fund programs in countries. If donors provide sufficient resources, by 2015 we could virtually eliminate transmission of HIV from mother to child, dramatically reduce deaths from AIDS and prevent missions of new HIV infections, and achieve significant declines in TB prevalence and mortality."

As a result of Global Fund interventions, an estimated 5.7 million lives have been saved.

FRIENDS OF THE GLOBAL FIGHT:

Friends of the Global Fight works to educate, engage and mobilize American decision makers in the fight to end the worldwide burden of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. By focusing these efforts on decision makers in Washington, Friends seeks to build a sustained commitment to supporting the Global Fund and the fight against the three diseases. For more information about Friends of the Global Fight, visit www.theglobalfight.org.

SOURCE Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria