Introduction
The United States participates in a range of international health programs, in particular, and contributes financially to several global organizations, including the Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Prevention, as well as timely detection of those exhausting and life-threatening diseases, remain among essential public health issues, which actually is the main reason why governments cooperate with the fund. In addition, considering the overload on the health care industry that results from the COVID-19 pandemic, financial support from developed countries is critically important. The need to rescue lives means that for the U.S. government to support the fund further.
Main body
Since its creation in 2002, the organization under review has made considerable progress in both the prevention and therapy of AIDS and tuberculosis (T.B.). Specifically, in 2020, 21.9 million patients with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy, which reaches 73% of all living with the virus (“Results Report 2021” para. 3, 4). Regarding T.B., the rates of its treatment grew from 35% in 2002 to 69% in 2020 due to the Global Fund’s health programs (“Results Report 2021” para. 3, 4). The number of those who recovered from it during the last year equals 4.7 million people. Overall, the activity of the organization has reduced mortality by two to three times and rescued 44 million lives, which financial support from the United States, among others, had enabled.
On the contrary, reducing the spread of malaria apparently is a more challenging task; therefore, the Global Fund has to continue investigating in this direction, hence needs further investments. As the main carriers of this infection are mosquitos, one of the most available preventive measures lies in using “long-lasting insecticide-treated” nets (“Results Report 2021” para. 4). Meanwhile, the percentage of the population who have access to those has reduced since 2017, which determines the need for inventing more universal methods. Malaria remains on the list of dangerous infectious diseases, but the financial contributions of developed countries, including the USA, can help change the situation for the better.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Global Fund, similar to many other healthcare organizations, occurred to be vulnerable to pandemic-related difficulties and consequently requires additional support. According to its representatives, “key programmatic results have declined for the first time in the history” (“Global Fund Results Report” para. 1). This allows for predicting outbreaks of dangerous infections in the nearest future, whose prevention consequently grows especially important. Therefore, it would be reasonable to continue investing in the fund, primarily in the countries where the situation with COVID-19 is stable. Regarding the U.S., the majority of the states have shown an apparent downward trend during the last two weeks, while only three infection rates are rising (Hernandez et al. para. 6). In other words, there are no reasons for ceasing the collaboration with the fund.
Summary
To summarize, one of the global health organizations that the U.S. government supports is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The remarkable progress in reducing both the spread and the mortality of the first two diseases is among the reasons why this cooperation should proceed further. In addition, the obstacles to overcoming malaria apparently determine the need for additional investments. Another point to factor into the relevance of financial support from developed countries is the pandemic-related crisis that prevents the organization from productive performance.
References Cited
“Global Fund Results Report Reveals COVID-19 Devastating Impact on HIV, TB and Malaria Programs.” The Global Fund, 2021, Web.
Hernandez, Sergio, et al. Tracking Covid-19 Cases in the US. CNN Health, 2021, Web.
“Results Report 2021.” The Global Fund, 2021, Web.