Johannesburg – The Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment Summit, co-hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, concluded in Johannesburg with a pledge of US$11.34 billion to combat HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. The funding aims to strengthen global health systems and improve access to life-saving treatments.
Ramaphosa described the pledges as a “defining moment for global health and solidarity,” marking a significant step in the global battle against the three diseases. “This is an extraordinary achievement, and we hope future generations will see this as a turning point in the fight against HIV, AIDS, TB, and malaria,” he said.
The summit highlighted the need for robust, resilient health systems, scaling-up local medicine production, and securing sustainable financing for health initiatives. As part of South Africa’s contribution, the government and local private sector pledged a combined US$36.6 million (R630 million), with notable donations including US$5.5 million from Goodbye Malaria and US$4.5 million from mining company Anglo American.
Ramaphosa called on both local and international private sectors to increase support, emphasizing the long-term value of investing in the fight against these diseases. “This pledge reflects our confidence in the Global Fund partnership and its ability to deliver on its promises,” he added.
The summit also reflected a unified global effort to improve health security and work more efficiently, addressing issues like waste and fragmentation in global health financing. While the pledges were celebrated as a collective success, Ramaphosa reiterated that more contributions were needed to meet health goals and close gaps in access to treatment worldwide.
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