China News Service, Beijing, September 8 (Reporter Bo Wenwen) A new report released by the Global Fund on September 8 stated that the new crown pneumonia epidemic has had a devastating impact on the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in 2020.
The full name of the Global Fund is The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria). It is an international aid organization in the field of global medicine and health.
In 2002, under the initiative and promotion of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, dozens of national governments and international organizations jointly established the PPP model (Public-Private-Partnership). The secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the report, although some progress has been made, key project results have declined for the first time in the history of the Global Fund.
The report shows that in 2020, in countries where the Global Fund invests, the number of people receiving treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis has dropped by 19%, and the number of people receiving treatment for XDR-TB has dropped even more, reaching 37%.
The number of HIV-positive tuberculosis patients receiving antiretroviral therapy and tuberculosis treatment fell by 16%.
The report also emphasizes that HIV testing and prevention services for critical and vulnerable people who have been particularly severely affected have been reduced significantly.
Compared with 2019, the number of people receiving HIV prevention programs and services has fallen by 11%, while the number of young people receiving preventive services has fallen by 12%.
The number of mothers receiving medications to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies fell by 4.5%.
HIV testing has dropped by 22%, hindering AIDS treatment in most countries.
According to the report, compared with the other two diseases, interventions to combat malaria do not appear to have been severely affected by the new crown pneumonia.
Thanks to adaptation measures and the efforts and innovations of community health workers, malaria prevention activities have remained stable or increased compared with 2019.
The number of mosquito nets distributed increased by 17%, and the number of buildings covered by indoor stagnant spraying increased by 3%.
In 2020, 11.5 million pregnant women received preventive treatment.
However, the number of suspected malaria cases detected fell by 4.3%, and progress in the prevention and control of malaria has stalled.
As of August 2021, the Global Fund has approved a total of US$3.3 billion in funding to more than 100 countries to adjust life-saving AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria projects, provide critical testing, treatment and medical supplies, and protect front-line health work And urgently strengthen the fragile health system.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, said that the Global Fund partnership continues to save lives.
Faced with the extraordinary challenges posed by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, our partnership has demonstrated flexibility and determination to provide medicines, supplies and care to millions of people around the world.
The countries where we invest have used laboratories, disease surveillance, community networks, well-trained health workers and supply chains established to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to respond to the new crown pneumonia epidemic in a timely manner.
Sands said: "Although the new crown pneumonia has cost us a terrible price, this epidemic provides us with an opportunity to build a better, fairer, and healthier world." (End)