Aidspan provides the Global Fund's and other Global Health Initiative. (GAVI,GFF,etc) with information and analysis to understand and evaluate the progress.

Aidspan promotes and holds itself

to the highest standards of honesty, accuracy, truthfulness, and ethical conduct.

Our Vision
Transparent, accountable and effective implementation by the Global Fund and other global health initiatives as a foundation of global health equity.
Our Mission
To improve the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the Global Fund and other global health initiatives through independent observation, convening, and building the capacity of in-country stakeholders and accountability mechanisms.
Our Work
Aidspan is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) created In 2002 as an independent observer of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Aidspan provides the Global Fund's and other Global Health Initiative (GAVI,GFF,etc) with information and analysis to understand and evaluate the progress. Aidspan aims to influence the transparency and effectiveness of the Global Fund at the global and country-level.

SINCE 2002

Responsible reporting, commentary and analysis on all aspects of

The Global Fund

Our mission is to improve the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the Global Fund and other global health initiatives through independent observation, convening, and building the capacity of in-country stakeholders and accountability mechanisms.

Current Issue

ISSUE 465

This issue contains 7 articles.Published on 22 Sep 2025

Global health: financing differently, governing better, delivering more equitably

This new issue of GFO highlights the financial and political challenges undermining global health, from the uncertain PEPFAR withdrawal to the Global Fund’s adjustments ahead of its Eighth Replenishment. It underscores the importance of stronger collaboration between partners, more equitable governance, and the protection of vital services, so that promised results translate into measurable and fair impacts for communities.

Gavi, the GFF, and the Global Fund: From Intention to Impact

The article explores the critical need for stronger collaboration between Gavi, the Global Fund, and the GFF amidst funding shortfalls and rising health needs. It highlights operational progress in areas like malaria, health systems, and shared services, while addressing ongoing challenges in coordination, accountability, and equity. Success will depend on delivering measurable and equitable outcomes, not just promises.

PEPFAR in 2025: legal and budget shocks, operational short-termism, and a rare window to reboot prevention

PEPFAR remains the backbone of the global HIV response, yet 2025 has brought legal and budget shocks-an authorization lapse, aid freezes, and attempted rescissions-that produced real service disruptions and planning uncertainty. Evidence from Tanzania and Uganda shows concrete impacts on ART continuity and prevention, especially for key populations. At the same time, an at‑cost rollout of twice‑yearly long‑acting PrEP (lenacapavir) could reset prevention if programs protect the clinical spine, publish timely data, and scale with rigorous pharmacovigilance. Over the next 6–12 months, outcomes will hinge on whether systems stabilize, remain in rolling uncertainty, or absorb deeper cuts-and on how quickly countries act to safeguard continuity, repair last‑mile supply chains, and coordinate with the Global Fund

Global Fund fine-tunes financial calculations for Eighth Replenishment amid currency volatility

This article explores the Global Fund’s introduction of new financial calculation methods as it attempts to manage donor pledges and currency fluctuations in the run-up to its Eighth Replenishment in November 2025. The method sets the exchange rate at the time of announcement, and permits corrections in case of significant changes, in order to have a fair valuation among the currencies. The adjustments were made to safeguard the real value of contributions and to ensure that funds are effectively targeted to life-saving health programs.

Global Fund recalibrates Catalytic Investments in response to funding uncertainty to protect health impact

Faced with financial pressures and delayed pledged contributions from donors, the Global Fund has made some changes to its Catalytic Investments (CIs) for Grant Cycle 7, to keep health programs afloat. These revisions, presented at the 28th Strategy Committee meeting in Geneva on 7- 8 July 2025, seek to safeguard critical activities while operating in reduced resources. Valued at US$555 million, CIs finance strategic initiatives, regional efforts, and collaborations with the private sector. In almost every case, cuts were thoughtfully applied: small adjustments to priority interventions, fixing a few multi-country grants based on performance, and protecting the majority of Matching Funds that are so important for country ownership. Private sector support stayed intact.

Global Fund sets strategic governance priorities for 2025–2028

This article provides a brief summary of the Global Fund's strategic governance priorities for 2025–2028, as discussed during the Ethics and Governance Committee (EGC) meeting held this month in Geneva.

From lifelong sentence to sustainable exit: the OIG’s role in reforming the additional safeguard policy

The Global Fund’s Additional Safeguard Policy (ASP), established in 2004, acts as a last-resort risk mitigation tool to protect health investments in politically unstable and institutionally weak countries, particularly in Africa, where 17 of the 29 ASP-listed nations face prolonged oversight, some for over 15 years. While designed to prevent grant disruptions and ensure accountability, the ASP has drawn criticism for its perceived lack of clear exit strategies, slow processes, and limited capacity-building, prompting an OIG audit in 2024 that called for reforms. In response, the Global Fund is now refining exit criteria, strengthening local systems, and improving transparency to transition countries out of ASP, balancing financial safeguards with the urgent need for sustainable, country-led health programs."

Testimonials

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Discover what global health leaders and experts say about our work in monitoring and analyzing Global Fund activities. Our independent reporting and insights have earned recognition from key stakeholders worldwide.

Global Fund Observer is lucid, intelligent and definitive. It makes a huge contribution to everyone's understanding of the processes and realities of the Global Fund

Stephen Lewis

former Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa of the UN Secretary-General

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Independent observer of the Global Fund and other Global Health Initiatives

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Increase transparency, accountability & effectiveness

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Communicate for change & influence

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Build and strengthen strategic partnerships

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