Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that is the biggest infectious disease killer in the world. In spite of being a threat to all of us, the TB response is severely underfunded. Year after year, the financial resources available for implementing TB interventions as well as research and development are less than 30% of what is needed.The Global Fund (GF) is an important stakeholder in the global fight against TB, as part of its mandate to save lives and end HIV, TB and malaria through billions of dollars invested in the 3 disease programmes across the world.
In spite of clear data and evidence provided by WHO that TB unfortunately kills more people than Malaria and HIV combined in GF eligible countries, the GF allocates only 18% of its resources to TB.
For 22 years and cycle after cycle of GF financial replenishment, in spite of progress, change in the tools available, in spite of evidence, of increased ambition in the National Strategic Plans, increased absorption of resources by TB programmes and independent evaluations, the TB share as part of the GF disease split remained at 18%.
An independent evaluation of the Global Fund approach for allocation of funds to the 3 disease has recommended increasing the allocation to TB. The Strategy Committee and the Board of Global Fund are currently discussing several options for this purpose. The process is challenging and requires stakeholders in TB to advocate for data-driven decision by the Global Fund Board.
As part of this work, the TB community, led by the TB33% campaign, has developed this petition to call on the GF to adopt an equitable distribution of funds across the three diseases, increasing TB’s share to 33%.
This website will provide useful information and tools for partners and colleagues that want to support the call for Global Fund to change their global Disease Split.
