Global Fund Commits $350 Million in Fight Against HIV, Malaria in Zambia

The Global Fund has supercharged Zambia’s fight against HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and COVID-19 with a nearly $350 million grant.

Joshua Banda, Chairperson for the Country Coordinating Mechanisms for Zambia, said the grant would last from 2024 until 2026 as an accelerator of Zambia’s efforts against disease.

Bishop Banda explained the breakdown of the funding. Zambian HIV programs received a total of $251,027,914 of the grant. Malaria programs received the next largest portion at $77,243,020. Tuberculosis intervention agencies received $21,508,410, and $12,400,000 was committed to aiding pre-exposure prophylaxis and the strengthening of community systems and response. COVID-19 funds were given $32,350,375.

Bishop Banda added that the grant represented an increase on the previous sum Zambia received, 34 million more than the c.$315 million allocated for the 2021-23 period.

 Zambia’s Minister for Health, Sylvia Masebo, was delighted, saying that the money would certainly accelerate Zambia’s fight against the diseases.

Ms. Masebo described the Global Fund grant as “an incredible investment not only for the Ministry of Health but also for the people of Zambia that will be served in different spheres.” The Minister was particularly positive about the enormous funding for centres preventing and treating HIV, a disease that approximately 1.2million people live with in Zambia.

Image via Center for Global Development.