Canada Steps Up its Fight against the World’s Most Deadly Diseases with an Historic Commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
For immediate release
22 August June 2019 (Toronto, ON) – Today, Canada has once again demonstrated its firm commitment to accelerating progress in global health and development, to advancing the rights and health of women and girls, and to improving the health of the poorest and most vulnerable worldwide. ICAD and ICASO welcome Canada’s continued and historic commitment of $930.4 million for 2020 to 2022 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, approximately a 16% increase from Canada’s 2016 pledge, just ahead of the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment Conference slated for this fall in Lyon, France.
“As the 2019 hosts of the Women Deliver Conference and hosts of the 5th Global Fund Replenishment Conference in 2016, today’s announcement re-affirms Canada’s commitment to advancing rights-based approach to ending HIV, TB and malaria, including gender equality and supporting programming that empowers those most vulnerable as agents of change”, said Robin Montgomery, Executive Director of the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD) and Alternate Board Member to the Global Fund Board.
Months of extraordinary efforts by a diverse coalition of Canadian civil society organizations came to fruition with today’s announcement of an increased pledge. ICAD and ICASO are proud to have been part of these collaborative efforts.
“The new funding will not only allow the Global Fund to continue its important work, but also reaffirms Canada’s commitment to delivering on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, while tackling human rights barriers to health for the world’s most vulnerable people, including women and adolescent girls,” said Mary Ann Torres, Executive Director of International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO).
“Canada’s leadership has seized this critical moment in the fight to end AIDS, TB and malaria as public health threats by 2030,” said Montgomery “However, the global resource gap remains significant if we are to reach our collective 2030 targets. We call on the Trudeau government to continue its leadership on the global stage to encourage other world leaders to take similar bold steps and help ensure a successful 6th Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria well beyond its target of US$14 billion.”
Since its inception in 2002, The Global Fund Partnership has saved 27 million lives in more than 100 countries where programs run by local experts have:
- Enabled 17.5 million people living with HIV to access lifesaving antiretroviral therapy;
- Treated 5 million people with TB worldwide;
- Distributed 197 million mosquito nets in measures towards malaria control
Contact:
Kate Alexander
Senior Program and Membership Officer
Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD)
Tel: 613-233-7440 ext. 110
Email: kalexander@icad-cisd.com
