(DDM) – American philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has announced a fresh $912 million commitment to the Global Fund in its fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the announcement was made during the annual Goalkeepers event in New York, where Gates urged world leaders not to miss what he described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to save millions of children from preventable deaths.
The Global Fund, established in 2002, remains one of the world’s largest international financing institutions for health programs.
Since its inception, the Fund has saved more than 70 million lives through large-scale interventions in developing nations, particularly across Africa and Asia.
Gates warned that looming cuts in global health aid could roll back decades of progress, reversing gains made in reducing child mortality and controlling deadly diseases.
He emphasized that donor nations must remain steadfast, stressing that “progress is fragile, and the risk of losing momentum is real.”
The latest pledge brings the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s total commitment to the Global Fund to $4.9 billion.
Analysts note that this continued backing positions the Gates Foundation as one of the largest non-governmental contributors to global health financing.
The pledge comes at a critical time as South Africa and the United Kingdom prepare to co-host the Fund’s replenishment drive scheduled to conclude this November.
The replenishment aims to raise at least $18 billion over the next three years to sustain lifesaving treatments and preventive measures.
Health experts told DDM that the $912 million will be instrumental in scaling access to insecticide-treated bed nets, antiretroviral drugs, tuberculosis medication, and rapid diagnostic testing kits, particularly in low-income countries where health systems remain fragile.
Malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS collectively account for millions of deaths annually, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing the highest burden.
The World Health Organization estimates that malaria alone kills more than 600,000 people each year, the majority of them children under five.
Bill Gates reminded leaders that beyond the moral imperative, investing in global health is also an economic necessity.
He noted that healthier populations drive stronger economies, improve educational outcomes, and stabilize fragile states.
International observers say his call is timely, especially amid donor fatigue, inflationary pressures, and competing crises like climate change, conflicts, and humanitarian emergencies.
Gates stressed that cutting health aid now would have catastrophic consequences for the world’s poorest communities.
DDM notes that the Global Fund has already demonstrated its ability to deliver at scale. In 2023 alone, it provided antiretroviral therapy for 24.5 million people living with HIV, treated 5.6 million people for tuberculosis, and distributed 220 million mosquito nets.
As the replenishment deadline draws closer, attention will turn to whether wealthy donor nations, particularly the United States, Germany, Japan, and the Gulf states, will meet or exceed expectations in sustaining the Fund’s programs.
Gates concluded that humanity cannot afford complacency. “We know what works, we have the tools, and we have the partners. What we need now is the political will to finish the job.”
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