More than 355,000 NHS and UK health workers with global roots have called on the UK Prime Minister to maintain Britain’s £1 billion commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, warning that any reduction would cost lives and threaten UK health security. Coordinated by Global Health Partnerships, the open letter from 19 presidents of UK health associations emphasizes that cutting the UK’s contribution could undermine global progress against infectious diseases, weaken health systems in partner countries, and increase risks to public health in the UK.
Reports suggest that the UK is considering a 20% reduction—around £200 million—despite co-hosting the 8th Global Fund Replenishment Conference with South Africa. Ben Simms, Chief Executive of Global Health Partnerships, described such a cut as “a false economy with fatal consequences,” highlighting that UK investments in global health strengthen both international health systems and the NHS by preventing the spread of infectious diseases and promoting stability abroad.
The appeal has also been supported by Dr Beccy Cooper MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health and Security, who stressed that the Global Fund is a highly effective and accountable mechanism for tackling AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. She emphasized that investing in global health is a shared responsibility, not charity, and reinforces the UK’s health security by ensuring stronger systems internationally.
Frontline voices reinforced this message, including Justine Nakimuli, President of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Association, who noted that UK contributions have transformed African health systems through training, clinic improvements, and lives saved. Similarly, Marimouttou Coumarassamy, President of the British Indian Nurses Association, highlighted that maintaining the pledge strengthens global health systems, supports health workers, and saves lives worldwide, reflecting the UK’s leadership in global health.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has saved an estimated 70 million lives and remains one of the most effective mechanisms for combating infectious diseases and strengthening health systems. The UK has been a major contributor for over two decades and is co-hosting the 2025 Replenishment Conference, underscoring its longstanding commitment to global health.
