Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, or Friends, is an advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and expanding United States support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Founded in 2004 by Edward W. Scott, Adam Waldman and the late Jack Valenti, Friends of the Global Fight works to educate and mobilize U.S. decision makers to support the Global Fund and the fight to end the worldwide burden of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
History
Friends of the Global Fight was founded in 2004 to help address the fact that millions of people die each year of preventable and treatable diseases. Long-time President of the American Picture Association Jack Valenti, as well as businessmen and philanthropists Edward W. Scott and Adam Waldman, wanted to support the Global Fund in its work to prevent these people from dying prematurely by providing the resources needed to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Friends was created to advocate on behalf of the Global Fund in the U.S. Together, the organizations have overseen a steady increase in U.S. funding for the Global Fund that has translated into success in fighting these diseases.
The President’s Emergency Plan for AID Relief(PEPFAR), first passed in 2003, provides essential funding for the Global Fund’s work. On July 30, 2008, President George W. Bush signed the “Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008” into law, committing $48 billion over four years to the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Of the total $48 billion, the Act authorized $2 billion to the Global Fund in the first year and “such sums as necessary” in the future.
The Global Fund
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created in 2002 to dramatically increase international funding to combat the three diseases. A unique approach to international aid, the Global Fund is a public and private sector partnership. It does not implement programming or training, but provides the much-needed funding to continue to fight these diseases. To date, the Global Fund has approved financing totaling some $15 billion in 139 countries.
To ensure that the Global Fund’s success continues, Friends works to foster a strong relationship between the Global Fund and Congress. Friends advocates for continued U.S. financial support of the Fund, as well as strong partnerships between the Global Fund and U.S.-based AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria organizations.
With Friends of the Global Fight, the Global Fund is able to achieve the following results:
- HIV/AIDS:
- 1.75 million people receive antiretroviral treatment
- 46 million HIV testing and counseling sessions conducted
- 2.8 million orphans provided with medical services, education and community care
- Tuberculosis:
- Detected and treated 3.9 million cases of infectious tuberculosis
- Malaria:
- Distributed 59 million bed nets to protect families from transmission of malaria, thus becoming the largest financier of insecticide-treated nets in the world
- Delivered 60 million malaria [...] treatments
Methods
Friends is constantly working to provide legislators and the media with the most current information about the Global Fund and the three diseases. The organization also works to build relationships with members of Congress to impart the importance of the Global Fund’s work. In their efforts, Friends works very closely with the Global Fund Secretariat.
Friends also works with several other organizations that are striving to combat poverty and preventable diseases worldwide. These organizations are listed below.
Partnerships
- RESULTS
- United Nations Foundation
- Malaria No More
- The ONE Campaign
- Global Health Council
Successes
- Friends has ensured continued U.S. financial support for the Global Fund
- Helped to pass the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which allows for $48 billion to be committed to fighting AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria over the next four years
- Helped facilitate annual appropriations increases
- Showcased the Global Fund’s work at high-profile events, including the opening of a photography exhibit called Access to Life
- Worked to increase common knowledge of the Global Fund and its work