TANZANIA – Tanzania’s Her Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan met and had talks with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) Executive Director Mr. Peter Sands to discuss healthcare financing ahead of the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan welcomed the Global Fund Executive Director for a two-day official visit that builds up towards the 7th Global Fund Replenishment Conference set for 19th – 21st September 2022 in New York, United States of America.
During his visit, the Executive Director Mr. Sands said, “The good news is that in Tanzania, we have the ingredients for success. It is undeniable that world demands, needs are many but funding the Global Fund makes sense for the world because with infectious diseases there is no middle ground.”
The Executive Director also met with Ministers of Health, Finance and Planning, President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG), the Tanzania National Coordinating Mechanism (TNCM) Chair, Non-State Actors representatives and the United Nations (UN) Heads of Agencies.
The Heads of UNAIDS, UN Women and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) accompanied by senior government officials from the Ministry of Health and PORALG were also in attendance to meet the Executive Director and delegation.
Mr. Sands said, “We have made progress, but we still have a lot to do. The good news is that in Tanzania, we have the ingredients for success. It is undeniable that world demands, needs are many but funding the Global Fund makes sense for the world because with infectious diseases there is no middle ground”.
The UN values the Global Fund as a strategic partner in the implementation of its Cooperation Framework. We look forward to continue working together to sustain progress made by building on current successes and scale up.
Furthermore, the Acting World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Zabulon Yoti hosted the meeting with the United Nations family in the WHO Country Office premises, led by the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mr. Zlatan Milišić.
WHO Tanzania Country Office announced that the Executive Director’s visit is part of the campaign for the Seventh Replenishment which is now fully underway while noting that for the 2023-25 period, the Global Fund is asking for at least US$18 billion.
The agency of the United Nations said that the funds will be used to get the world back on track towards ending HIV, TB, and malaria, to build resilient and sustainable health systems and strengthen pandemic preparedness, making the world more equitable and safer from future threats.
According to WHO, Tanzania is privileged to have the Head of State as one of the champions for the replenishment and for taking part to show case the impact that the Global Fund has made in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria along with strengthening health systems.
The Acting WHO Country Representative, Dr. Zabulon Yoti called for more strategic and innovative shifts to tackle the malaria epidemic, noting that the Global Fund’s support for HIV, TB, Malaria and health system strengthening has gone a long way towards provision of quality services in Tanzania.
Dr. Yoti added, “More investments are needed within the six building blocks particularly strengthening procurement, supply chain management, and strategic information so that the country’s health system is more resilient in the face of the current pandemic and other threats that may present in the future.”
At the same time, the UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Zlatan Milišić lauded the Global Fund for its close collaboration with the United Nations in Tanzania and its contribution towards ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and combating other diseases including COVID-19.
“The UN values the Global Fund as a strategic partner in the implementation of its Cooperation Framework. We look forward to continue working together to sustain progress made by building on current successes and scale up,” said Mr. Zlatan.
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