The President of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi who is in New York, US has celebrated the Seventh Global Fund Replenishment, in a reception organised by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), Roche Diagnostics and Friends of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at the Havard Club Of New York on the 18th September 2022.
Speaking on the eve of function, Dr. Masisi said the gesture underscores the importance of global solidarity and the need to have opportunity for sharing experiences and successes in pursuit of good health and well-being for all.
“This event marks a very significant milestone for the countries and communities that have throughout the years since 2002, marshalled a fierce battle against these diseases – in spite of the limited resources at our disposal compounded by other global challenges that we continue to face. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to reverse some of the gains made against one condition and two diseases (that is, AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria), we have also seen tremendous return on investment. This calls for continued collective action in order to achieve our common goal of ending these epidemics and building healthier and prosperous societies”.
The Global Fund, Donors, Philanthropy, our Partners and Governments have of mobilized US$18Billion for its next funding cycle of three (3) years. Meanwhile Botswana supports the call for a fully funded Global Fund that will be able to deliver holistically on its mandate.
“The post COVID-19 recovery is particularly important as we need to fast track the response towards ending HIV, TB and malaria, and building resilient and sustainable health systems, to achieve our global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) health target. Botswana has made great strides in reducing the incidences and impact of the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, through the support received from the Global Fund. Botswana has been the Global Fund beneficiary since 2016, which has greatly assisted efforts aimed at combating HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, both under the Government led programmes and those championed by the civil society organizations”, said Masisi in front of invited dignitaries such as Peter Tichansky, President of Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU); Ann Costello of Roche Diagnostics; Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria; Representatives of Global Fund; Representatives of the U.S. Government and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations amongst many.
BCIU is a non-profit entity that comprises of policy experts, strategic advisors, and trade educators, and offers bespoke commercial diplomacy services to governments and leading organizations, Fortune 100 companies, investors and multilateral institutions. The United States of America will host the Seventh Global Fund to Replenishment event, which is scheduled to take place on the 19 September, 2022, at the Heads of State level. For the funding cycle 2023 to 2026, the Global Fund’s target is to raise at least US$18 billion, which is the minimum required to fast track the response towards ending HIV, TB and malaria, and build resilient and sustainable health systems.
For the period 2019 to 2022 the Fund had managed to raise their target of US$14 billion. As such, based on the pledges made so far, the Fund is likely to reach its target once more. Historically, majority of the funding has been public funds from high income countries. Some low and middle income countries have also pledged in the past including some African countries.
Botswana has been a Global Fund recipient country since 2016, with provision of funding for TB/HIV and Malaria in two separate funding grants, for TB/HIV and Malaria. In addition to the TB/HIV and Malaria grants, Global Fund funded the civil society organizations through African Comprehensive HIV AIDS Prevention (ACHAP). With the onset of COVID 19 in 2020 additional funding was also provided under the COVID 19 Response Mechanism grant. These contributions have been quite important to advance HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria programming, including most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in tremendous health gains towards the three diseases.
Pictures credit: Office of the President
