The Global Fund has reached out to President William Ruto, requesting his assistance in mobilizing funds worldwide to support the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. In a letter addressed to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands emphasized the urgent need for financial support as external funding for health faces significant challenges.
Sands underscored that President Ruto’s leadership and international connections could play a pivotal role in ensuring a successful Eighth Replenishment of the Global Fund. He noted that with Kenya’s longstanding partnership with the organization having received over KSh 300 billion (US$2.3 billion) in investments the country has made significant progress in disease control and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“It would be an unthinkable tragedy to see this progress stall, let alone be reversed,” the letter stated, urging Ruto and Mudavadi to champion the replenishment efforts.
Kenya has played a central role in the Global Fund’s initiatives, including co-hosting the Preparatory Meeting for the Seventh Replenishment in 2022. That effort helped secure a historic US$15.7 billion in funding, with Kenya contributing US$10 million, demonstrating its commitment to global health.
During the recent African Union (AU) meeting in Addis Ababa, President Ruto reiterated that African nations must transition toward domestically led and financed health systems to reduce dependency on external support. However, Sands cautioned that this transition must be gradual to avoid setbacks that could cost millions of lives.
“The Global Fund remains a trusted and reliable partner in supporting Kenya and other countries in saving lives and strengthening health systems,” Sands noted. He stressed that direct communication from heads of state, including President Ruto, would be instrumental in rallying international support.
As Kenya continues to push for sustainable health financing, the Global Fund hopes that Ruto’s global influence will help secure the necessary resources to sustain progress in combating these life-threatening diseases.
