Fight against the pandemics of yesterday and those of tomorrow

Tuberculosis is sweeping.

For much of the last two centuries it has been the leading cause of death in many of the world's richest countries.

Before covid-19, it was still the deadliest infectious disease in the world.

Now it is on the rise again, driven by the disruption in its control and treatment caused by the pandemic, by poverty and stigma, as well as by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This war – like those in other parts of the world – is very likely to exacerbate the situation, leading to an increase in tuberculosis throughout the region and increasing suffering and loss of life.

Even before the invasion, Ukraine had one of the highest burdens of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, the deadliest form of the disease.

Tuberculosis causes about 1.5 million deaths each year.

It is unacceptable that we allow a preventable and treatable disease to continue to kill so many people.

Although the annual number of deaths from tuberculosis and the other two diseases that we aim to end by 2030 – HIV and malaria – have more than halved in the last two decades, even before covid-19 we were far from end these public health threats by that date.

The pandemic has thrown us further off track.

In 2020, more than 2.4 million people died of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, that is, 4.5% more than in 2019. This dismal total is likely to have risen again in 2021,

To reverse this trend and get back on track to end these three diseases, we must act decisively.

Faced with such terrible adversaries as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, there is no middle ground: either we win or we lose.

We are currently witnessing the reversal of many years of hard-won achievement.

The figures for malaria deaths in 2020 bring us back to 2012 levels.

To get back on track, more money will be needed.

Since during the two years of the pandemic we have regressed or stagnated, we need to intensify efforts to reduce infections and deaths and achieve the 2030 goals.

A child dies of malaria every minute.

Allowing a preventable and treatable disease to take the lives of so many is unacceptable

The Global Fund partnership, in order to boost the fight against these deadly diseases and help countries build more resilient and sustainable health systems, intends to raise at least 18,000 million dollars (16,300 million euros) for its next cycle triennial (2024-2026).

The campaign will culminate in a replenishment conference that President Joe Biden will host in the United States in the second half of 2022.

The success of this seventh replenishment will help get the world back on track to end HIV, TB and malaria, accelerate health and community systems strengthening, and strengthen the capacity of countries to prevent, detect and respond to new health threats.

Increasing investment in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and in strengthening systems for health is a moral imperative, since millions of lives can be saved.

We estimate that with that amount, the Global Fund partnership can save 20 million lives over the three-year grant period and reduce the total number of annual deaths to less than one million, well below the 2.4 million of 2020 and four of 2005.

The economic case is also compelling: every dollar (0.90 euros) invested in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria translates into 31 dollars (28 euros) in gains in health and economic benefits.

Twenty years ago, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria seemed unbeatable.

But the world refused to accept that anyone, anywhere died of preventable and treatable diseases simply because of who they are or where they live.

We unite, fight back and defeat these diseases.

In 2022, the world must return to that spirit of solidarity.

We must prevent the resurgence of these diseases.

We must protect everyone from the world's deadliest infectious diseases, whether they are from the past (HIV, tuberculosis and malaria), the most recent (covid-19) or those yet to come.

Investing in the Global Fund will save lives from today's infectious diseases and protect people from tomorrow's infectious disease threats.

It is the way to fight for what really matters.

Peter Sands

is Executive Director of the Global Fund for Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis.

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