Independent observer of the Global Fund
Joined January 2011
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The Global Fund Observer #GFO is the leading independent voice providing insight, analysis and opinion about the @GlobalFund . Subscribe to our free, twice-monthly newsletter. aidspan.org/en/c/editorial
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 30
Since 2010, the number of children acquiring HIV has dropped by 62% — the lowest since the 1980s.
But 120,000 children still acquired HIV in 2024. And with funding cuts dismantling the prevention programmes that made this progress possible, we cannot afford to slow down now.
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The Global Fund is making a strategic pivot for GC8, championing a future where countries progressively transition from external funding to robust self-reliance. This involves setting predictable timelines, crafting tailored transition pathways across its portfolio, and recalibrating co-financing with differentiated expectations. The goal is to drive sustainable health outcomes by empowering countries and aligning with global calls for health sovereignty, all while navigating the complexities of this transformative shift.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32612/…
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The clock is ticking. 2030 is closer than we think.
Africa bears 96% of malaria cases and 97% of deaths yet malaria is preventable and treatable. Why are we still here?
Despite global commitments led by the World Health Organization, progress is stalling and in some regions, reversing.
Ending malaria is not just a health goal. It’s about health sovereignty, resilient systems, local manufacturing, and sustainable financing.
Are we investing enough?
Are we moving fast enough?
Are we prioritizing what truly saves lives?
Now we can. Now we must. #WorldMalariaDay #EndMalaria2030
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While the need for African voices in global health governance is widely acknowledged, their presence and participation within the most influential technical bodies remain paramount. This article states that the Strategy Committee, as the central 'brain' of the Global Fund, is the most critical arena for African influence. We demonstrate that when African experts like Dr Mele Djalo and Dr Gerald Gwinji have a seat, they successfully shift policies to serve continental priorities better, proving that effective representation is the cornerstone of sustainable impact.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32610/…
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In March 2026, South Africa's Health DG Sandile Buthelezi and colleagues were arrested for fraud and theft of about one million rand from the Global Fund. This case is notable for the swift judicial response driven by an internal whistleblower and carried out by national bodies, the Hawks, a commercial court, and the President's Office. The article critiques the Global Fund's accountability system, suggests stronger ties between international oversight and domestic control, and proposes a balanced approach for a changing global health landscape.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32615/…
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Le Kenya fait face à un risque de résurgence du paludisme. Des élèves se mobilisent pour l’enrayer.
stories.theglobalfund.org/le…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 23
👏🏾👏🏾 Congratulations to 🇧🇸! The Bahamas are showing that eliminating mother-to-child transmission HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is possible.
This achievement reflects political will for steady investment in primary health care and the dedication of health teams and people living with and most affected by HIV.
When women can test early in pregnancy, start treatment without delay and stay in care, every child has a better chance of being born free of HIV.
Today, no child should be born with HIV.
#EMTCT #EndAIDS @DirOPSPAHO
🔗 unaids.org/en/resources/pres…
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#Lenacapavir could transform #HIV prevention in #Africa, but in #SouthAfrica the real issue is scale, not only politics. A country with the world’s largest HIV epidemic cannot rely on a limited initial supply of doses, especially when it already funds most of its HIV response and has pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. The article argues that the real test is whether innovation can be matched with sufficient supply, local production, and sustainable access.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32614/…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 22
Ending AIDS by 2030 would require an annual share of 0.2% of the current global health spending.
That is only $2 out of every $1000 spent on health worldwide.
Learn more #GlobalAIDSStrategy2031:
unaids.org/en/2026-2031-glob…
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The article states that the Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 8 allocation letters mark a major change in global health financing. With a 30% funding cut, they focus on “transition,” shifting from foreign aid to countries' financial responsibility. This is done through co-financing, integrating HIV, TB, and malaria services, and urging wealthier nations to fund their own programs. While new technologies like long-acting PrEP and Debt2Health swaps are more efficient, there are concerns marginalized groups may worsen.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32613/…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 21
📈HIV infections in PNG doubled since 2010
🚨 Only 1/4 of pregnant women living with HIV access treatment
The government declared HIV a national crisis in 2025, and today, $13.5M of emergency funding is allocated to expand services for those most in need.
unaids.org/en/resources/pres…
ALT Image of an infant with health service providers in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Title reads: Papua New Guinea advances national ownership of HIV response as crisis deepens
ALT Image of the front cover of a newspaper with a headline that reads: HIV a national health crisis. Text on visual: Key Facts: - Only 30% of its HIV spending is funded domestically - HIV infections are rising, having doubled since 2010 - An estimated 2,700 infants acquired HIV - around seven each day - Only 1/4 of pregnant women living with HIV receive HIV treatment Progress: In June 2025, the Government of Papua New Guinea declared a national HIV crisis. In 2026, the Government allocated US$ 13.5 million in emergency funding for HIV, TB and malaria to expand prevention, testing and treatment, and services for pregnant women, children, adolescents and key populations.
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The article argues that GC8 allocation letters show a Global Fund operating under tighter financial constraints and making more selective, politically shaped choices. While overall country allocations have fallen, the cuts are uneven: transition countries such as India, Guatemala, and South Africa face sharper reductions and clearer exit signals, while high-burden, highly dependent countries are relatively protected, though still under pressure. The piece concludes that GC8 may be coherent as a strategy of constraint, but its fairness will depend on whether countries can protect the most vulnerable services as donor support recedes.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32611/…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 20
We cannot end AIDS without ending stigma and discrimination and upholding human rights and gender equality in the HIV response.
The 10-10-10 targets aim to make this a reality.
#GlobalAIDSStrategy2031
unaids.org/en/2026-2031-glob…
ALT Graphic showing a large red circle with ‘<10%’. Text explains the 10-10-10 targets: less than 10% of people living with HIV and people from key and vulnerable populations experience stigma and discrimination, less than 10% experience gender inequality or violence, and that less than 10% of countries have punitive legal and policy environments that restrict access to services. In the lower left, a person holds a sign reading ‘Our Health Our Right’.
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This new issue of the GFO examines a Global Fund in transition, facing reduced resources and more political choices under GC8, with significant equity implications for the most vulnerable. It highlights tensions between innovation and access, particularly in South Africa, as well as evolving accountability dynamics through the case involving Sandile Buthelezi.
Finally, it underscores the challenges of transitioning toward self-reliance and the strategic importance of African representation.
aidspan.org/Blog/view/32609/…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 18
Each year, an estimated 600,000 people with TB in the African Region go undiagnosed or untreated. Yet, TB is preventable and curable.
@WHOAFRO’s Dr Jean-Louis Abena explains why early detection is critical 👇🏿
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 15
The expansion of Lenacapavir to twelve more African nations extends a quiet revolution to millions of adolescent girls and young women who can now protect themselves without a pill bottle betraying their secret. A twice-yearly injection restores bodily autonomy, where daily oral PrEP invites interrogation or violence at home. If clinics offer fast, stigma-free appointments, this innovation will not only prevent infection but fundamentally shift power in young women's relationships across the continent.
theglobalfund.org/en/updates…
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The expansion of Lenacapavir to twelve more African nations extends a quiet revolution to millions of adolescent girls and young women who can now protect themselves without a pill bottle betraying their secret. A twice-yearly injection restores bodily autonomy, where daily oral PrEP invites interrogation or violence at home. If clinics offer fast, stigma-free appointments, this innovation will not only prevent infection but fundamentally shift power in young women's relationships across the continent.
theglobalfund.org/en/updates…
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 14
PEP can be an important step after potential HIV exposure.
Managing side effects is not just about comfort. It can help you stay consistent with treatment and complete the full course.
#HIVAwareness
Read more here: tinyurl.com/596r3zny
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Aidspan retweeted
Apr 14
🇸🇳 Au Sénégal, le projet EnPrise 3 a renforcé la prise en charge du VIH pédiatrique dans 9 régions et maintenu 1 862 enfants dans les soins.
Pôles régionaux de référence créés, soignants formés, meilleur accès aux soins, découvrez le résumé d’évaluation 👉 linitiative.expertisefrance.…
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The challenge facing global health today is not only organizational; it is also political, social, and deeply human. The crisis is not just about structures or budgets. It is about people, those whose lives are directly affected by funding cuts and reform proposals yet who have little say in how those reforms are designed. Ultimately, it is about the very soul of global health.
An insightful article by Mr. @EricFleutelot
thinkglobalhealth.org/articl…
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