The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has welcomed a new £6 million investment from GSK plc and ViiV Healthcare, aimed at strengthening community-led responses to HIV, TB, and malaria in lower-income countries. This contribution will be matched by the Gates Foundation, bringing the total investment to £12 million. The pledge underscores the critical role of local communities and organizations in designing and implementing effective health solutions, reinforcing resilient health systems in regions most affected by infectious diseases.
Deborah Waterhouse, CEO of ViiV Healthcare, emphasized that sustainable health impact begins with empowering communities. By supporting programmes that are country-led and community-driven, the investment seeks to enhance healthcare delivery, expand access to treatment, and build stronger systems to address high-burden diseases. The announcement highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving global health goals.
The pledge was made at a high-level event in London ahead of the Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment Summit, co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stressed that private sector investment and innovation are key to combating infectious diseases and improving global health security. Early funding commitments like this one aim to catalyze further support from other partners and set the stage for a successful replenishment.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, welcomed the renewed commitment, highlighting the importance of collaboration between governments, private sector actors, and communities. He noted that partnerships like these are essential to sustaining progress against HIV and malaria and building a healthier, more resilient global population.
GSK and ViiV Healthcare have long been leaders in developing innovative medicines and vaccines for HIV, TB, and malaria. Their work includes research programs for next-generation vaccines and treatments, developed in collaboration with global partners such as the Gates Foundation and Wellcome. The investment with the Global Fund is designed to complement country allocations, driving innovation and accelerating progress where it is most needed.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, emphasized that catalytic funding like this strengthens momentum, builds confidence in collective action, and ensures that underserved communities, particularly women and girls, can access life-saving care. By uniting public and private actors around a shared vision, such commitments help accelerate global progress toward ending HIV, TB, and malaria.
Since its inception in 2002, the Global Fund partnership has saved an estimated 70 million lives and continues to invest billions annually in combating the deadliest infectious diseases, strengthening health systems, and supporting pandemic preparedness in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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