Janet Ogundepo
In a renewed solidarity for a transformed and more resilient global health system amid funding cuts, the Global Fund partners have raised $11.34bn to sustain the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The fund was raised at the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, according to a statement by the organisation.
At the summit, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its health system and advancing universal health coverage.
Although the Presidency initially announced that Tinubu would attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Tuesday, the trip was cancelled due to pressing domestic security concerns following reports of attacks in Kebbi and Kwara states.
Vice President Kashim Shettima departed Abuja yesterday to represent him at the summit.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund), is a worldwide partnership to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer and more equitable future for all.
The summit, co-hosted by the governments of South Africa and the United Kingdom, saw partners around the world pledge $11.34bn to sustain the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, save millions more lives and strengthen systems for health.
Despite fiscal tightening, conflict, and global uncertainty, the summit marked a renewed commitment to work differently, embracing a more agile, country-driven form of partnership that can adapt to a rapidly changing global health landscape.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that on January 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organisation.
The US is the largest donor to the WHO and provides substantial financial support to the Geneva-based organisation.
The withdrawal triggered cuts in aid and the cancellation of 83 per cent of programmes at the US Agency for International Development.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that the funding cuts impacted health funding in Nigeria, forcing the government to reallocate its own funds to fill the gap.
It further affected Nigeria’s 2030 target to eliminate tuberculosis and provide essential services, including diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
At the summit, Tinubu stated that the commitments signalled a powerful shift towards partnerships that put countries in the lead, drive innovation, and mobilise sustainable financing for health.
The President added that the renewed spirit of solidarity reinforced Nigeria’s determination to build a more resilient, equitable health system and advance universal health coverage.
“Today’s commitments signal a powerful shift toward partnerships that put countries in the lead, drive innovation, and mobilise sustainable financing for health.
“For Nigeria, this aligns with our deepening investment in our own health system – from expanding primary health care to strengthening surveillance and deploying new tools that bring lifesaving services closer to our people. This renewed spirit of solidarity reinforces our determination to build a more resilient, equitable health system and advance universal health coverage, ensuring that every community, no matter how remote, can access quality care,” Tinubu said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose country hosted the replenishment summit, underlined Africa’s growing leadership in global health.
He said, “Hosting this Replenishment on African soil for the first time symbolises how far we have come and how far we can go. Africa is not only leading in implementation; we are also driving innovation and taking greater responsibility for our own health systems. This partnership embodies solidarity, equity, and transformation.”
South Africa committed $36.6m, a joint public-private pledge that included an increased government contribution, which more than doubled from the last replenishment, and financing from the South African private sector amounting to $10m.
The United Kingdom, as co-host, pledged £850m for lifesaving prevention, testing, and treatment services, whilst the United States, the Global Fund’s largest donor, committed $4.6bn.
The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, stressed the value of investing in the Global Fund, stating, “In today’s volatile world, we must prioritise spending that makes a genuine difference and supports both growth at home and globally. That is why we will continue to support the Global Fund, whose work is at the cutting edge of fighting the world’s deadliest diseases.”
Commitments from G20 member states reached $8.96bn, reflecting the consensus that the Global Fund is a worthwhile investment in advancing global health.
Several African countries, all of which are also implementers of Global Fund grants, made solidarity commitments totalling $51.59m, noting their pride in announcing these commitments at the first replenishment to be held on the African continent.
The private sector played a defining role, with the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund’s largest private donor, pledging $912m, whilst the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation pledged a further $135m.
The Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, framed the outcome as both an achievement and an urgent call for transformation.
He said, “This is a remarkable moment. In a year when many predicted the end of global solidarity, our partners have proven otherwise. Thanks to the steadfast commitment of our donors and partners, this Replenishment delivered a remarkable outcome from a remarkable partnership.”
Sands highlighted how innovation at scale, from portable digital X-rays to AI for TB screening to long-acting HIV prevention, was reshaping the fight against the diseases.
He noted that the Global Fund was the largest multilateral grant funder of health systems strengthening, with over $2.7bn invested in oxygen provision, laboratories, data systems, and health workforce training in 2024 alone.
The Chair of the Global Fund Board, Lady Roslyn Morauta, stated that the outcome reflected both resilience and renewal.
She said, “In a difficult year, this result shows the world’s confidence in our collective model and its enduring power to deliver results. But it also shows our determination to adapt, to work smarter, be more efficient, and ensure that every dollar delivers maximum impact.”
The Eighth Replenishment marks the beginning of a new phase for the Global Fund, one defined by transformation, innovation, and shared responsibility.
After the remaining pledges are finalised, allocations will be agreed on at the February Board meeting, where partners are committed to sustaining momentum and keeping pressure on the system to align ambition with need.
The funds raised through the Eighth Replenishment in the new grant cycle over the next three years will not only sustain lifesaving programmes but also deepen investment in resilient and sustainable systems for health, supporting pandemic preparedness and health security across partner countries.
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