By: Adèle Sulcas

In two expedited decisions taken on April 9, the Global Fund Board has ratcheted up its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing that without further support to countries, gains already made in programs to fight HIV, TB and malaria and to strengthen health systems may be upended by the rapid global spread of the disease.

By: Adèle Sulcas

United States President Donald Trump announced on April 14 that he was suspending the U.S.’s funding to the World Health Organization, saying that “WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable” for what he alleges is a “mismanaged” response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Global leaders have quickly condemned the announcement, which has attracted widespread criticism as an attempt to shift the blame for the U.S.’s own slow response to the COVID-19 threat.

By: Christelle Boulanger

In West and Central Africa, where the COVID-19 epidemic is spreading, civil society organizations and implementers of Global Fund grants are organizing the community response. They are organizing information and awareness-raising on protection, distribution of hygiene kits, and reconfiguring the available care on offer at health facilities and the protection of caregivers. They also rely on the community networks of young women, and neighborhood associations.

By: Dr Delanyo Dovlo

In an opinion piece written for ‘The Africa Health Pot’, health-systems consultant Dr Delanyo Dovlo considers the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of African health care. The pandemic has, he writes, made the absence of serious investment in building functional health systems “painfully obvious”. It has also highlighted the need for fundamental change in holding African leaders and managers more accountable to their populations.

By: Edited by Adèle Sulcas

On April 8, the ‘Daily Maverick’s’ Mark Heywood hosted a webinar with Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Director of the Center for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa, and now also the Chair of South Africa’s Ministerial Advisory Group on COVID-19. They discussed South Africa’s response to the pandemic, the particular vulnerabilities of people living with HIV and TB, whether ‘lockdown’ measures are working, and what happens next.

By: Djesika Amendah

In a routine country audit of Global Fund grants in Angola, the Office of the Inspector General found that the country’s grants were performing poorly. Overall, domestic financing, community engagement, program implementation, as well as data management arrangements, are ineffective, the report said. However, the OIG assessed financial management and assurance arrangements to be partially effective.

By: Djesika Amendah

The German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ BACKUP Health and the Global Fund offered three countries a training session, in March 2020, aiming to strengthen the in-country capacity to leverage health sector investments to build resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of robust health systems.

By: Djesika Amendah

This ‘Of Interest’ describes four guidance notes issued by the Global Fund Secretariat between 26 March and 7 April 2020 on how to adapt Global Fund grant activities given the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By: Adèle Sulcas

This edition’s ‘Of Interest’ focuses on two new rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 listed by WHO, Global Fund guidance notes relating to grant adaptations for COVID-19, and the French Development Agency’s announcement of COVID-19-related funds.

This is issue 377 of the GLOBAL FUND OBSERVER (GFO) Newsletter. Please send all suggestions for news items, commentaries or any other feedback to the GFO Acting Editor at adele.sulcas@aidspan.org. For issues relating to Francophone countries or the French edition of the GFO, the Observateur du Fonds Mondial (OFM), please contact OFM Editor Christelle Boulanger at christelle.boulanger@aidspan.org. To subscribe to GFO/OFM, go to www.aidspan.org.

GFO Newsletter is a free and independent source of news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (www.theglobalfund.org).

Aidspan (www.aidspan.org) is a Kenya-based international NGO that serves as an independent watchdog of the Global Fund, aiming to benefit all countries wishing to obtain and make effective use of Global Fund resources. Aidspan does not fund any other organizations. Aidspan finances its work through grants from foundations and bilateral donors. Aidspan does not accept Global Fund money, perform paid consulting work, or charge for any of its products. The Board and staff of the Global Fund have no influence on, and bear no responsibility for, the content of GFO or of any other Aidspan publication.

GFO Newsletter is now available in English and French. The French-language edition becomes available within one week after the publication of the English edition.

GFO Acting Editor: Adèle Sulcas (adele.sulcas@aidspan.org). OFM Editor: Christelle Boulanger (christelle.boulanger@aidspan.org). Aidspan Executive Director: Ida Hakizinka (ida.hakizinka@aidspan.org).

Reproduction of articles in the Newsletter is permitted if the following is stated: "Reproduced from the Global Fund Observer Newsletter, a service of Aidspan."

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