Sub Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT In a meeting held on 11-13 April 2022, delegates drawn from African countries agreed on a common regional approach to the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment. The meeting was jointly organized by the African Constituency Bureau of the Global Fund and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS. Participants agreed on key messages to deliver to their respective countries’ leadership and other stakeholders to sensitize them on the need to pledge financial support to the Global Fund during the Seventh Replenishment meeting later this year.

ABSTRACT The first 18 months of COVAX distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries have not gone as hoped. As richer countries roll out booster shots, 98% of people in low-income countries remain unvaccinated. The astoundingly unequal COVID-19 vaccine rollout has seen 84.3% of vaccines go to upper-middle- and high-income countries, while just 0.4% go to the world’s poorest. The ambitious COVAX program has contributed just 5% of all vaccines administered globally and recently announced it would miss its two billion target for 2021.. However, even if vaccines are made widely available, African countries still face infrastructure and public perception challenges that will need to be overcome for national roll-out plans to be effective.

ABSTRACT With reduced funding for malaria, affected countries need to come up with new approaches in order to sustain the gains made in the fight against the disease. Countries must increase domestic funding in order to fill the gaps.

ABSTRACT Distribution of insecticide-treated nets in sub-Saharan Africa needs to more than double current levels, according to the Global Fund’s “Update on Results and Impact” report.

ABSTRACT At a consultation meeting convened by Dr Mphu Ramatlapeng, Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Board, the two sub-Saharan African constituencies on the Board made significant changes to the way their representatives are selected and how the constituencies operate. The current rotation-based selection system will be discarded.

ABSTRACT Malaria patients in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia will pay significantly less for artemisinin-based combination therapies purchased through the private health care system, as a result of agreements between the Global Fund and six manufacturers of malaria drugs.

ABSTRACT The Global Fund is working with 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to assess the possibility of reprogramming existing Global Fund grants to allow for a switch from the use of single dose nevirapine to more effective dual or triple ARV therapy for PMTCT.

ABSTRACT An Aidspan report entitled, "Do Global Fund Grants Work for Women? An Assessment of the Gender Responsiveness of Global Fund-Financed Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa" has just been published.

ABSTRACT "The title of this report asks 'Are Global Fund Grants Working for Women?' Based on the research conducted in this study, it is not possible to answer this question in the affirmative. At best, we would have to say, 'only partially,' or 'not yet.' "

ABSTRACT Introducing three new delegates.