‘Continued support for the Global Health Fund will build a healthier and more secure world for us all’

Ahead of World AIDS Day last year, the Prime Minister set the laudable goal of ending HIV transmissions in England by 2030. This would be a phenomenal achievement and demonstrates our government’s commitment to investing in prevention and ensuring equitable access to HIV care.

Yet global efforts to prevent and treat HIV are facing jeopardy owing to massive reductions in US bilateral aid; the growth of anti-rights movements hindering access to services; and the impact of conflict on health systems. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has hampered progress in a country which has Europe’s highest burden of HIV, by interrupting prevention and treatment efforts on the frontline.

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I am delighted that our Labour government is co-hosting the eighth replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, together with the Republic of South Africa, on 21st November. The Global Fund partnership – cofounded by a Labour government in 2002 – has saved an incredible 70 million lives. In countries where the Global Fund invests, efforts to prevent and treat HIV have helped cut mortality by 82% and new infections by 73% since 2002.

UK investment in the Global Fund is smart and strategic, delivering health security at home and abroad and supporting economic growth. Our current funding commitment of £1 billion will expire at the end of this year. Polling conducted by More In Common in mid-October found that 62% of Britons believe the government should maintain or increase its support for the Global Fund. In addition, hundreds of thousands of NHS workers have signed a letter calling on the Prime Minister to sustain the UK’s commitment to the Global Fund to avoid a costly resurgence of infectious disease, which could place further strain on the NHS.

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In July, I was fortunate enough to see the wide-reaching impacts of the Global Fund partnership in Kenya. I heard repeated testimony from individuals accessing HIV and TB services, health professionals and the Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Health about how vital Global Fund investments have been in reducing the burden of infectious disease for households; in strengthening the health system; and consequently boosting livelihoods and productivity.

The pipeline of cutting-edge health innovations, especially long-acting injectable PrEP, gives us the best chance yet for ending the AIDS crisis once and for all – saving lives and treatment costs, especially in low-income countries still reeling from the fiscal impacts of Covid-19. In the UK, ‘game-changing’ cabotegravir has just been approved for use by the NHS in England and Wales. Administered every other month this offers convenience and discretion and is a key tool for tackling inequalities. The Global Fund has reached an agreement with Gilead Sciences to procure lenacapavir, which requires twice-yearly administration. This marks the first time in history that an HIV prevention product will be introduced in low and middle-income countries at the same time as in high-income countries — a significant milestone for global health equity.

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The Prime Minister’s commitment to ending HIV transmissions here in the UK is historic and global progress is integral to achieving this ambition. As a government we must be a force for good in the world. An announcement by the Prime Minister in Johannesburg of renewed investment of £1 billion in the Global Fund will advance the government’s priorities by building a healthier and more secure world for us all.

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