sustainability

ABSTRACT The shift to co-financing for many countries implementing Global Fund grants has civil society groups worried that as countries take over procurement of drugs and commodities, they may increase the risk of stockouts or the procurement of low-quality items. While acknowledging the difficulty of transition, Global Fund officials dispute this characterization, saying that protections are in place to help prevent this from happening.

ABSTRACT A thematic review by the Technical Evaluation Reference Group of the implementation of the Global Fund’s Sustainability, Transition and Co-Financing Policy is now complete. The review found that the related activities carried out have been transformative, delivering “substantial gains” in helping lower middle-income countries with “non-high disease burdens” and upper-middle-income countries to better plan for and manage transitions. The report did find opportunities to improve support for lower middle-income countries with high disease burdens, and for low-income countries.

ABSTRACT At its 42nd Board meeting, the Global Fund Board discussed the Sustainability, Transition, and Co-financing policy, based on an update to the Boarding bringing together lessons learned, independent reviews, and reports from three independent institutions of the Global Fund. Implementation of this policy will be a priority in the 2020-2022 allocation period, the Board said, given the critical role the STC policy plays in the Global Fund 2017-2022 Strategy.

ABSTRACT The Global Fund Board will discuss the Sustainability, Transition and Co-Financing policy next week at its 42nd Board meeting. Planning transition from Global Fund support, as well as transition implementation, and outcomes, deserves the attention of the Board. The fact that countries that had transitioned away from Global Fund grants witness a spike in HIV infections and that some of those countries apply anew for support is a worrisome trend.

ABSTRACT In an audit of Global Fund grants to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Office of the Inspector General acknowledged PNG’s success in expanding HIV services to key populations but raised concerns around an increase in malaria prevalence, a reduction in HIV testing among key populations, and the lack of actual TB burden estimates. The OIG also noted some instances of financial non-compliance and opportunities for greater efficiencies within the grants.

ABSTRACT This second audit by the Office of the Inspector General of Global Fund grants in Nepal found ‘partially effective’ systems and mechanisms to ensure quality of services for HIV and TB to intended beneficiaries, while implementation arrangements to ensure achievement of grant objectives need significant improvement. The country is, however, ahead of schedule to eliminate malaria.

ABSTRACT The 41st Board Meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria held in May 2019 was an opportunity for the organization to pledge its commitment and support to the LAC region, where $2.2 billion has already been invested to date to fight the three diseases. Investments include technical assistance to build resilient health system infrastructures in 36 countries in the continent, while maintaining an emphasis on co-financing commitments to cover key transition risks that include uptake of services for key populations. A member of the Latin America and Caribbean delegation to the Board offers his perspective.

ABSTRACT With every replenishment comes a greater push toward domestic financing, says Aidspan Executive Director Ida Hakizinka in this commentary. The Global Fund has set a $14 billion target for its next three-year funding cycle. The Fund projects that domestic resources will contribute another $46 billion, an increase of 48% over the current cycle. Although we recognize that domestic funding has increased in recent years, Hakizinka says, the available funds are not enough to meet the needs laid out in the countries’ strategic plans. She adds that the upcoming Addis-Ababa and New Delhi meetings have the potential to influence the domestic financing trajectory.

ABSTRACT Kenya, Uganda and Guinea are three African countries at different levels of economic development, and with different epidemiology for the HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The application of co-financing within their programming for the three diseases differs largely by country. It is important that the Secretariat harmonizes the application of the policy across countries despite the need for customization.

ABSTRACT Eastern Europe and Central Asia is one of two regions where planning for the transition away from Global Fund support is most advanced. (The other region is Latin America and the Caribbean.) This article provides an overview of the transition status of HIV, TB and malaria components in EECA countries.