World Leaders Pledge Billions to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria

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Image copyright: Reuters [via US News]

The Facts

  • On Wednesday, a donor conference on the sidelines of the UN's annual General Assembly raised a record $14.25B for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. World leaders seek to fight the deadly diseases after progress was delayed by the COVID pandemic.

  • The fund started in 2002 and seeks $18B for the next three-year funding cycle from governments, civil society, and the private sector. Before Wednesday's conference, it had already raised more than a third of this total.

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Although the job is far from done, the conference was a huge success and an encouraging display of global solidarity. The world has demonstrated that HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis can be defeated through science, leadership, and a critical mass of resources. This latest development should be celebrated.

The Globalfund

Establishment-critical narrative

While this is a step in the right direction, unfortunately, it isn't enough. Even when the UK and Italy make their pledges, the total will likely not meet the planned target — a failure that will mean fewer screening campaigns, fewer treatments, less funding for community health centers, and less strengthening of health systems.

Al Jazeera

Metaculus Prediction

Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO