World AIDS Day:

 Celebrating 25 Million Lives Saved

Through U.S. Leadership and PEPFAR

On World AIDS Day, President Biden and high-level officials across the U.S. government celebrated the impact of U.S. investments in the domestic and global fight against HIV.

"25 million lives saved through PEPFAR."

-Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong highlighted PEPFAR's impact.

Watch Friends' video capturing Ambassador Nkengasong's vision for an AIDS-free generation.

"It takes a lot to get me back to Washington...I'm here to say as loud and clear as I can. Congress must fund PEPFAR."



-President George W. Bush at USGLC's tribute celebration.

"You will be seeing and hearing a lot from me, including in the arena of HIV/AIDS."

–Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed his future at Global AIDS Policy Partnership's community event.

200 Faith Leaders Call on Congress to Support $2 Billion for Global Fund (Letter)

Former Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) and 200 members of the Faith-Based Coalition for the Global Fund sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees and Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs to voice their support for inclusion of $2 billion for the Global Fund in a final omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2023.

End Tuberculosis Now Act Advances Through House & Senate Committees

Last week, the End TB Now Act advanced out of the House Foreign Affairs & Senate Foreign Relations Committees.

Thank you Senator Robert Menendez, Senator Todd Young, Representative Ami Bera and Representative Maria Salazar for working to sustain U.S. leadership in the global fight against TB.

“I see this disease not as a member of Congress, but as a doctor... we can end TB globally because we know how to do it.”



- Rep. Ami Bera speaks at Friends' event on TB last week

WHO World Malaria Report 2022: Malaria Deaths Decline, Infections Continue to Rise (WHO)

A new WHO report found that malaria programs are beginning to rebound from COVID-19 disruptions. Below are highlights from the WHO's latest report on the state of the global fight against malaria:

• In 2021, 619,000 people died from malaria– 6,000 fewer than in 2020 but 51,000 (9%) higher than 2019.

• In 2021, malaria cases continued to rise to 247 million compared to 245 million in 2020.

Organizations Share Priorities on Pandemic Preparedness

Friends and other advocates shared seven recommendations for the World Bank's new pandemic fund.

• "Funding should prioritize strengthening the pandemic preparedness and response capacities of countries and communities."

• "The new fund must reflect lessons learned from what works in global health."

• "Programs and other activities supported through the pandemic fund must respect and promote human rights."

The Best Way to Prepare for the Next Pandemic Is Not What You Think (Global Fund)

"Stark inequities, both within and between countries, continue to fuel HIV and AIDS. Persistent human rights abuses and deep gender inequalities prevent us from advancing toward the goal of ending the virus as a public health threat by 2030. Most of the 1.5 million new infections in 2021 happened among the most marginalized and vulnerable."

- Executive Director Peter Sands of the Global Fund and Executive Director Winnie Byanyima of UNAIDS write in a recently published op-ed.

• Dangerous Inequalities: Report 2022 (UNAIDS)

• The Global Fund Funding for Climate Crises in Pakistan and Somalia (Global Fund)

• Assessing PEPFAR’s Impact: Analysis of Economic and Educational Spillover Effects in PEPFAR Countries (KFF)

• What about Debt Cancellation to Help Prevent Future Pandemics? (Health Policy Watch)