Contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF)

The Global Fund is a 21st-century partnership organization based in Geneva designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. It is a financing mechanism rather than an implementing agency. It’s mission is to attract, leverage and invest additional ressources to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and to support attainement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

It is one of the international organizations channeling the most funds in the area of Malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS especially in low income countries where these diseases affect many people. The Global Fund is an important actor of Geneva’s role as international health capital.  

The Global fund is among SDC’s priority multilateral organizations, as per the the Dispatch on Switzerland’s International cooperation 2017-2020. The Global Fund’s strategic orientation is in line with the Swiss Health Foreign Policy and SDC’s health policies (SDC health policy and SDC’s strategic framework 2015-2019 of the global programme health). Funds granted to countries by the Global Fund are used in line with SDC’s priorities in health for example: to purchase at affordable prices quality medicine, diagnostic tests, or other products that are essential for the fight against the diseases (e.g. bed nets). The Global Fund also invests in supporting the role of civil society and the provision of treatment and health services for vulnerable or marginalized populations (ex: key populations, women and girls), both important issues for Switzerland.

Since it was created in 2002, the Global Fund has contributed to the fight against the three diseases as part of a collective effort that includes strong contributions by governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria:

• 20 million lives saved; on track to reach 22 million lives saved by the end of 2016
• A decline of one-third in the number of people dying from HIV, TB and malaria since 2002
• 9.2 million people on antiretroviral treatment for HIV
• 15.1 million people have received TB treatment
• 659 million mosquito nets distributed through national malaria programs

146 million infections averted across HIV, TB and malaria (between 2012 and end 2015)
Management level 2 (SDC/Switzerland): Key results from the previous partnership phase
Switzerland achieved a major success in the process of elaboration of the Global Fund Strategy 2017-2022 by contributing to secure a strategic objective on “Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health” thanks to its active engagement. This will be an important tool to continue moving the Global Fund’s work from a strictly disease-oriented approach to a broader health approach that includes a focus on achieving universal health coverage. This broader approach is absolutely necessary as the epidemiological context moves from control to elimination of the diseases. Switzerland contributed to strengthen Country Coordinating Mechanisms in countries through the multi-bi partnership with the BACKUP health programme. Switzerland played a key role in initiating and shaping the Board-level discussion on the role and function of Country Coordinating Mechanisms.

Switzerland achieved a major success in the process of elaboration of the Global Fund Strategy 2017-2022 by contributing to secure a strategic objective on “Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health” thanks to its active engagement. This will be an important tool to continue moving the Global Fund’s work from a strictly disease-oriented approach to a broader health approach that includes a focus on achieving universal health coverage. This broader approach is absolutely necessary as the epidemiological context moves from control to elimination of the diseases.

Switzerland contributed to strengthen Country Coordinating Mechanisms in countries through the multi-bi partnership with the BACKUP health programme. Switzerland played a key role in initiating and shaping the Board-level discussion on the role and function of Country Coordinating Mechanisms.

The health goals and targets set in the 2017-2022 Global Fund Strategy are explictly linked to the Global Plans developed by its main multilateral specialised partners in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria epidemics. The Global Fund will also contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all Member States of the United Nations in September 2015. In particular financing provided through the Global Fund will contribute to enable countries meet Goal 3 and the associated target 3.3 that seeks to end the epidemics of AIDS, TB, and malaria by 2030.
The core objectives of the Global Fund strategy 2017-2020: Investing to End Epidemics are:

• Maximise impact against HIV, TB and Malaria
• Bulid Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health
• Promote and Protect Human Rights and Gender Equality
• Mobilize Increased Resources

• Scale-up evidence based interventions with a focus on the highest burden countries with the lowest economic capacity and on key and vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the three diseases. Including: Embed the fight against the three diseases into the broader Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda
• Strengthen and align to robust national health strategies and national disease-specific plans
• Support sustainable responses for epidemic control and successful transitions
• Strengthened risk management, ethical behaviour and governance within the Global Fund at all levels of the organization.

2014-2016 Replenishment Government donors: US, Sweden, Norway, France, UK, Japan, Germany, Canada, European Union, Denmark, Australia, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland (14th). Also: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (500 million) and RED (private sector) (100 million)

In the Global Fund Board, Switzerland belongs to a constituency with Canada and Australia. Canada is the Board member and Australia and Switzerland rotate for the alternate member seat. Switzerland will be alternate board member in 2018.

Phase 12 01.01.2017 - 31.12.2019   (Completed)