The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved US$1.77 million in emergency funding to protect HIV and tuberculosis services in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck the country on 24 June, according to a press release issued from Geneva on 15 July 2026. The disasters killed more than 4,000 people, injured and displaced thousands more, and disrupted health services across affected areas. The allocation aims to sustain lifesaving treatment for people living with HIV and TB. It will also restore prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up services. Implementation will be carried out through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The earthquakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude and were followed by more than 500 aftershocks. They damaged health facilities, disrupted essential infrastructure, and forced thousands of people into temporary shelters. More than 9.7 million people have been affected. An estimated 31,000 people living with HIV and 2,400 people receiving TB treatment face risks of interruptions if services are not rapidly restored. The emergency response focuses on the areas most severely hit by the disaster.
The funding will help maintain uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV and TB while restoring prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up services. It will also support community outreach, telemedicine, and laboratory services during the emergency response. The investment is expected to maintain continuity of HIV treatment for approximately 7,000 people. It will sustain TB treatment for 500 people. Prevention, testing, and outreach services will reach 1,500 people from key and vulnerable populations.
“Disasters like these test the resilience of health systems, putting the health of people living in the affected communities at risk,” said Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund.
He emphasized the value of acting quickly with partners. Edington noted that timely response can help prevent an earthquake from erasing recent progress against HIV and tuberculosis. He underlined the role of continued health service delivery. His remarks framed the rationale for the emergency allocation.
The emergency funding will be integrated into the Global Fund’s existing HIV and TB grant in Venezuela. It reinforces ongoing efforts to protect people dependent on continuous care. The response combines treatment continuity with prevention and outreach measures. It targets both established patients and vulnerable populations. The allocation reflects the Global Fund’s coordinated action with UNDP in Venezuela’s earthquake response.
