Italy increases its contribution to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

At the G7 Summit in Biarritz, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced an increase in Italy’s contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the 2020-2022 three-year period.

Italy, which is already the Fund’s ninth-largest donor in absolute terms and a member of the Board, will contribute 161 million euros over the next three-year period (+15% from the previous three-year period) from resources of the Italian Cooperation Service.

“The increase in Italy’s contribution to the Global Fund is the confirmation of Italy’s commitment to the health sector. We have wanted to responsibly respond to the Fund’s call to intensify the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in order to achieve the target of eradicating the three diseases by 2030 and save 16 million lives over the next three years. Health, especially of women, youth, children and the most vulnerable groups, is a key condition for development. The Italian Cooperation Service thus proves its will to continue playing an important role on the global scene,” said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re.

Italy’s pledge responds to the call launched by the Global Fund to collect 14 billion dollars to save 16 million lives from 2021 to 2023, prevent 234 million infections or new cases, reduce inequalities and strengthen the health care systems of Developing Countries, with the aim of putting an end to epidemics by 2030, as set forth in Goal N. 3 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Global Health is one of the priorities of the Italian Cooperation Service, which traditionally plays a leading role worldwide in supporting the health care systems of Developing Countries, both at bilateral and multilateral level.

The Global Fund, which was launched under the 2001 Italian Presidency of the G7, has contributed to saving 27 million lives and to reducing by a third the number of deaths caused by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, by investing more than 41 billion dollars to support the most affected Countries.

Original source: DGDC
Published on 27 August 2019