In these days of bitter partisanship dividing our nation, a recent development in global health gives me hope and gratitude to Congress and the American people. When many people thought it couldn’t happen, Congress came together, bridging across party lines, to continue the U.S. leadership in combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria worldwide. This important development has received scant attention from the press, but deserves to be known and understood by all Americans.
In 2001, with the U.S. and the Gates Foundation in leadership, nations of the world came together to form the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It was funded by many nations and foundations, but the U.S. committed then to provide 1/3rd of the needed funds. The U.S. commitment leveraged $2 for every $1 invested by our nation, which has continued to this day. Since its founding, the Global Fund has saved 32 million lives, including millions of children, who are particularly susceptible to the ravages of malaria.
Every three years, the nations and NGOs who fund the Global Fund come together for a “Replenishment Conference” to pledge for their commitment for the next three years. This has happened seven times since 2001 and occurred again on October 10. This year, France hosted the Replenishment Conference.
As part of “putting America first,” the current Administration attempted to reduce the U.S. commitment to a quarter of the funds needed and has three times proposed deep cuts to our national investment in foreign aid and global health, including the Global Fund. Civil Society across the world was very concerned that the Global Fund pledge from the U.S. would fall off, and other nations would back off as well. These diseases have been cut in half since 2001, but this challenge could result in a rise of the rate of infection and death, worldwide.
But Congress would have none of it. Leaders on both sides of the aisle, in both the House and Senate, worked together to ensure that the funds needed to sustain and grow the Global Fund were included in the next year’s federal budget. The funds requested will save 16 million more lives in the next three years. Further, Congress included in its budget a statement that two more years of funding would follow. And then Congress sent four Representatives, two Republicans and two Democrats, to the Replenishment Conference for the Global Fund to personally deliver that commitment to the world.
With that commitment in mind, other nations and non-profits, including some recipient countries, stepped up and pledged their fair share during the meeting. Fourteen billion dollars were pledged in total, the largest global commitment ever made! Ever! Congress led the world and as a result, 16 million people who would have been lost to disease, will be saved.
None of this would have been possible without the excellent past work of the Global Fund to save lives, making it a highly credible organization; the political advocacy of many citizens and organizations and the deep commitment and common human caring our Senators and Representatives acted upon.
I am particularly proud and grateful that our Congressman, Rep. Derek Kilmer, has always strongly supported funding for the Global Fund and other global health initiatives. He knows his constituents are fully behind him on this humanitarian matter.
Here in Kitsap County, citizen advocates and supporters with RESULTS worked very hard to communicate the importance of the Global Fund to Rep. Kilmer and our two Senators, seeking their support. And support it they did! If you want to participate in this important poverty reduction work going forward, please check out RESULTS and connect with the local group at www.results.org.
This moment gives me great hope that our nation’s leaders are not so mired in divisive politics that they cannot do good in the world. Indeed, that’s why each of them sought election in the first place. It is important to remember that – our government does work, often, for the betterment of all. May we all be grateful for the collective impact that, together, we can have for a better world.
Beth Wilson is the volunteer regional coordinator for the South Kitsap/Gig Harbor chapter of RESULTS, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to ending poverty. She lives in Olalla.
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