Gavi and the Global Fund: Accelerating Impact towards SDG 3

The current challenging economic, fiscal, and geopolitical environment is severely hindering progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3. Many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), where Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund operate, are grappling with multiple crises. These arise from the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, food insecurity, and climate change and put immense pressure on health and community health systems.

In response, Gavi and the Global Fund are adapting their strategies to meet these challenges and are entering critical replenishment phases to secure necessary funding. Successful replenishments are essential not only for their goals but also for advancing towards SDG 3. Both organizations are intensifying efforts to support countries in enhancing primary healthcare, combating HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and ensuring access to essential health services, tests, treatments and vaccines, while addressing climate change impacts.

Amidst these crises, new collaborative approaches are needed, particularly in malaria elimination, where climate change exacerbates the challenge by altering mosquito behaviors and expanding the disease's geographic scope. Resistance to insecticides further complicates control efforts. However, the introduction of two new vaccines and new dual-insecticide mosquito nets offers hope. If these are effectively integrated with existing prevention and treatment strategies, and with an emphasis on equitable access and systemic health improvements, we could see a reversal in the stagnation of malaria elimination efforts.

The upcoming session will discuss how leadership at country and community levels, combined with funding and partnerships facilitated by the Gavi and Global Fund replenishments can significantly impact global health and move us closer to achieving SDG 3.