Committed To End TB, AIDS And Malaria

Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund, elucidates to Prathiba Raju on how the programme is focusing on to fight the three diseases and build stronger health systems in the next three-year cycle and the role of India as an implementer nation.

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What is Global Fund’s role on the ground?

The Global Fund raises and invests money to support programmes run by local experts in countries and communities most in need. One of the principles of the Global Fund is country ownership. This means that countries and people determine their own solutions to fighting the three diseases, and take full responsibility for them. The Global Fund does not have offices outside its headquarters in Geneva and does not implement programmes on the ground.

Any specific reason to choose India which is an implementing country to kick start the sixth replenishment meeting? Will this continue in the coming years? Reasons.

India is a strategic partner of the Global Fund, both as an implementer and as a donor. The Government of India has shown extraordinary leadership and commitment in the fight against infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis. The Preparatory Meeting of the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment marked the first time an implementing country hosted such a meeting. Without India, we are not going to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 “health and well-being for all.” If we are going to win the battle against TB, for example, we need to win the battle in India, so it makes a lot of sense to kick off the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment in India.

How much will be the total fund required to combat these three diseases globally and specifically for India?