Pasted below is a letter to the Finance Ministers of the G7 who are meeting in Rome, Italy on February 14, 2009. The letter urges G7 nations to take a leading role by pledging new money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which is facing a $5 billion dollar gap in funding for 2009 and 2010.

Created in 2001 by Kofi Annan, the Global Fund, according to many public health experts, is the most innovative, far-reaching, results- driven health financing mechanism in the world. Globally, it provides two-thirds of the external financing for TB and malaria, and a quarter of the financing for HIV/AIDS.

The 5 billion dollar gap is not a crisis akin to the global financial problems we are currently experiencing. The gap actually exists because the Global Fund and applicant countries have done such a good job of increasing technical expertise and capacity such that triple the number of proposals passed the technical review in 2008 ($3.1 billion compared to $1.1 billion in the previous round). Endemic countries have stepped up to the plate in submitting strong, technically sound proposals, but donor country pledges have not kept pace.

If not supported by Global Fund health programs, some of the most vulnerable populations in the world will feel double or triple the impact of this international economic crisis. G7 countries must be encouraged to increase commitments to the Global Fund.

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Open Letter to the G7 Ministers of Finance gathered in Rome:
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We write as global health civil society groups, advocates, and researchers from around the world to urge the governments of the G7 to move immediately to fill the funding gap faced by the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

This year, the Global Fund is scaling up with bigger and higher quality proposals and just approved the largest funding round ever.
The Global Fund provides a quarter of all international financing for AIDS globally, two-thirds for tuberculosis, and three-quarters for malaria. In 2009 and 2010, the Fund will continue this huge success and expects that $8 billion will be needed to fully fund all approved programs.

This success meets the world's hopes—but donor funding has not yet caught up, leaving a $5 billion gap in pledges from donors. In this time of economic crisis, developing countries are hit hard - and investments in AIDS, TB, and malaria are essential to the well-being of nations. The diseases already have a huge impact on developing countries. Loss of productivity due to tuberculosis drains $16 billion from the annual incomes of the world's poorest communities, while resource needs to fight the disease are estimated to be $4.2 billion in 2009. The economic impacts of malaria are estimated to cost African countries $12 billion per year in lost GDP; compare that to $3.4 billion needed to prevent such losses. Finally, AIDS threatens to reduce GDP in African countries by up to 2.6%.

We must keep investing in these countries and particularly in initiatives that get proven returns; the Global Fund provides value for money invested with its results-driven programming and its transparent and accountable funding structures.
Since its inception in 2001, the Global Fund estimates that it has been responsible for:
        • Providing anti-retroviral treatments (ARVs) for 2 million people living with HIV/AIDS
        • Detecting and treating 4.6 million cases of infectious TB
       • Distributing 70 million insecticide-treated bed nets and 74 million malaria drug treatments

We remind global leaders that the Global Fund has always been demand driven. The Board of the Global Fund determined that if more demand led to more, better proposals deserving of funding, resource mobilization would be needed (GF/B15/DP16). All G7 countries are represented on the Board of the Global Fund and have agreed in principle to “mobilize the resources necessary to meet increased demand expressed in the submission of quality proposals to the Global Fund.”  2010 is the halfway point to the date set to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and is thus an important time to mark progress and increase efforts to make sure that the promises made to the people of the world are kept.

The know-how and ability to run successful programs that will save lives has been ramped up in developing countries. It is now time for leaders of the G7 to ramp up their commitments to meet that demand and to ensure that the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has the resources to continue saving millions of lives.

We urge the G7 Finance Ministers and their representatives in Rome to commit to fully funding the Global Fund and to bring new pledges to the table at April’s Global Fund replenishment meeting in Spain.

Signed,

The Abhinav Bharat Foundation, India

Action Against Aids, Germany

Action Group for LGBT "Testosteron," Ukraine

Action Health Incorporated, Nigeria

ACT UP - New York, USA

ACT UP Paris, France

ACT UP - Philadelphia, USA

Adolescent Health and Information Projects (AHIP), Nigeria

Advocates for Youth, USA

Africa Action, USA

Africa Japan Forum (AJF), Japan

African Council of AIDS Service Organizations (AfriCASO), Senegal

African Services Committee, USA

Afrika Initiative e.V., Germany

Afro Global Alliance, Ghana & Nigeria

AGIHAS, Latvia

Agua Buena Human Rights Association, Costa Rica

Aid for AIDS International, USA

AIDES, France

AIDS Action Europe, The Netherlands

AIDS ACTION NOW, Canada

AIDS-CARE-WATCH Campaign, Thailand

Aids Fond, The Netherlands

AIDS Fondet, Denmark

AIDS Foundation East-West, The Netherlands

The AIDS Institute, USA

AIDS Policy Project, USA

AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), USA

AIDS Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), Namibia

All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation "Coalition of HIV Service Organizations," Ukraine

All-Ukrainian Network PLWH, Ukraine

Ambassadors of Change, Kenya

American Jewish World Service, USA

American Medical Student Association, USA

American Thoracic Society, USA

Americans for Informed Democracy, USA

Anonymous AIDS Association, Hungary

Argentinean Network of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, Argentina

Artists for a New South Africa, USA

Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM), Thailand

Asociación de Ayuda al Sero Positvo (ASEPO), Uruguay

Associação Abraço, Portugal

Association Nationale de Soutien aux Séropositif et Malades du Sida au Burundi (ANSS), Burundi

The Association of People Living with AIDS in Kenya (TAPWAK), Kenya

Association “Pozityvus Gyvenimas,” Lithuania

Association for Reproductive and Family Health, Nigeria

Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF), Bangladesh

Beijing Aizhixing Institute, China

"BelSet antiAIDS" (Belorussian AIDS Network), Belarus

Body Positive, New Zealand

Brightson Kyapula of Twafwilishe Chambishi Community Centre Organization, Zambia

Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), Germany

Burkina Faso Council of ASOs (BURCASO), Burkina Faso

Burundian National Network Against AIDS, Burundi

Byelorussian Public Union Positive Movement, Belarus

Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Canada

The Canadian Treatment Action Council (CTAC), Canada

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), United Kingdom

The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), India

Catholic Health East, USA

Center for Economic Governance and AIDS in Africa (CEGAA), East and Southern Africa

The Center for Health Education, Prevention and Research (CHEPAR), Cote d'Ivoire

The Center for Health Policy and Innovation, Canada

Center on Mental Health and HIV/AIDS, Tajikistan

Center for the Right to Health, Nigeria

Center for Sustainable Health and Development, India

China Global Fund Watch Initiative, China

Christ Soldiers Foundation, Ghana  

Christian Aid, United Kingdom

Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI), India

CHRISTUS Health, USA

Civil Society Action Team (CSAT), Southern & Eastern Africa

Club des Amis Damien (CAD), The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS (7 Sisters), Thailand

Coastal Development Partnership (CDP), Bangladesh

Coastal Organization for Prevention and Care of TB in Kenya (COPCAT), Kenya

Community Initiative for TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, Zambia

Consortium to Respond Effectively to the TB/HIV Epidemic (CREATE), USA

Cordaid, The Netherlands

La Corporación Chilena de Prevención del SIDA-ACCIONGAY, Chile

CSAT HUB Middle East and North Africa (ALCS), Morocco

Czech AIDS Help Society, Czech Republic

David and Lois Rees Hospital, India

The Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, South Africa

Developing Country-NGOs Delegation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria Board of Directors, Senegal

DEPRO-SPACE, Cameroon

Development Initiative for Community Enhancement (DICE), Nigeria

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, Germany

Disciples Overseas Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Switzerland

Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham & Women's Hospital, USA

Dominican Sisters of Hope, USA

East European and Central Asian Union PLWH

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), Switzerland

EMPOWER, India

Essential Action, USA

Estonian Network of PLWH, Estonia

Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, Lithuania

European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), Belgium

European Alliance Against Malaria, Belgium

Fair River International Association for Development (FARIAD), Ghana

Family Health International, USA

Family-In-Need Trust of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe  

F.O.C.U.S., USA

The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), USA

Foundation Positive Women of the World, The Netherlands.

French HIV/Aids Treatment Activist Coalition TRT-5, France   

Friends Fiduciary Corporation, USA

FSG Communications Ltd., United Kingdom
FUTURE WITHOUT AIDS, Ukraine

Gambian Network of AIDS Support Societies (GAMNASS), The Gambia 

GESTOS, Brazil

Global Action for Children, USA

Global AIDS Alliance, USA

Global Health Advocates, France

Global Health Advocates, India

Global Health Advocates, Switzerland

Global Health Council, USA

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, Switzerland

GlobalSIDA, Spain

GlobeMed, USA

Goodwill Aid, Ghana

Grandmothers of Alberta for a New Generation (GANG), Canada

GULI SURKH, Tajikistan

Guyana Human Rights Association, Guyana

Harlem United, USA

Harm Reduction Coalition, USA

Harvard Global Health & AIDS Coalition, USA

Health Action International (HAI), Africa

Health Alliance International, USA

Health Bridge Consulting International, Canada

Health Connections International, The Netherlands

The Health & Development Networks (HDN), Global

Health GAP (Global Access Project), USA

Health Insurance Fund, The Netherlands 

Health Triangle, Zambia

Health Workforce Advocacy Initiative (HWAI), Global

Hélène de Beir Foundation, Belgium

HIV-Foundation / The Finnish AIDS Council, Finland

HIV Medicine Association, USA

HIV-Sweden, Sweden

Hiv Vereniging, The Netherlands

HIVictorious, Inc., USA

Hong Guang Alliance (HGA), China

Housing Works, USA

IDH-ONL, Bolivia

Initiative for Community Development, Nigeria

Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD), Canada

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, USA

International AIDS Society, Global

International Children’s Palliative Care Network, South Africa

International Civil Society Support, The Netherlands

The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW), United Kingdom

The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW), USA

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), Canada

International HIV/AIDS Alliance, United Kingdom

International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine (ICF), Ukraine

International Treatment Preparedness Coalition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Interact Worldwide, United Kingdom

International Women’s Health Coalition, USA

Instituto de Cooperación Social (INTEGRARE), Spain

Italian League for Fighting Aids, Italy

Jamaican Network of Seropositives, Jamaica

Japan AIDS and Society Association (JASA), Japan

Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA), Japan

JAZAS (Association against AIDS), Serbia

Jerusalem AIDS Project, Israel

Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, USA

Jubilee USA Network, USA

Kara Counseling and Training Trust, Zambia

Kazakhstan’s Union of PLWH, Kazakhstan

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Netherlands

L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, USA

La Liga Colombiana de Lucha Contra el Sida, Colombia

Latin American and the Caribbean Council of Aids Services Organizations (LACCASO), Brazil

Latin American Global Health Foundation, Colombia

League of PLWH of Republic of Moldova, Moldova

Legal Assistance Centre, Namibia

Lithuanian Positive Group, Lithuania

Malaria Consortium, United Kingdom

Maryknoll AIDS Task Force, Global

Medecins Sans Frontières, France

Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office, USA

Mercy Investment Program, USA

Missionary Oblates Justice and Peace Office, USA

Mosaic Training, Service and Healing Centre for Women, South Africa

Mozambican Treatment Access Movement (MATRAM), Mozambique

National AIDS Trust, United Kingdom

National Association of People Living with AIDS (NAPN), Nepal

National Empowerment Network of PLHA in Kenya (NEPHAK), Kenya

National Organization for Social Development (NOSD), Pakistan

National TB Programme, Ghana

National Youth Coalition on SRR, Sri Lanka

Naz Foundation International, India

Network Access to Essential Medicines (RAME), Burkina Faso

Network of Zimbabwean Positive Women (NZPW+), Zimbabwe

New Jersey Medical School Global Tuberculosis Institute, USA

NGO TB Consortium India (NTC), India

Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, United States

Norwegian Church Aid, Norway

OHAfrica, Canada

Ohioma Foundation for Development (OFUD), Nigeria

Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN), Canada

Osservatorio Italiano sull'Azione Globale Contro l'AIDS, Italy

Oxfam International

OXFAM Japan, Japan

Partners in Health, USA

Patients not Patents, Inc., USA

Penitentiary Initiative, Ukraine

Physicians for Human Rights, USA

Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), Nigeria

PLUS, Coalition Internationale Sida, France

PLWHA Europe

Population Action International (PAI), USA

Population Services International (PSI), Romania

Population Services International (PSI), USA

Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Inc., Philippines

Positive Families Network, Kenya

Positive Initiative (PCF), Kyrgyzstan

Positive Life, Mongolia

Positive and Living Squad (PALS), Zambia

Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+), Malaysia

Prevention Point Pittsburgh, USA

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), Kenya

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), USA

"Progress" Social Research Public Union, Azerbaijan

Progressio, United Kingdom

Protecto sol Filadelphia, USA

The Providence Fund, USA

Public Health Program/Soros Foundation, Moldova

Public Organization on AIDS Fight, Azerbaijan

Public Organization "SPIN Plus" (Community of People Living with HIV and Drug-addicted People), Tajikistan 

Public Personalities Against AIDS Trust, Zimbabwe

Public Union of PLWH “Ishonch va Hayot,” Uzbekistan

Rafiki Rehabilitation Programme, Kenya

Real World, Real People, Armenia

Red Argentina de Personas Positivas (REDAR POSITIVA), Argentina

Refugees Community Services (RCS), South Africa

Region VI Coalition for Responsible Investment, USA

Rehabilitation and Prevention of Tuberculosis (RAPT), Zimbabwe

Reseau Burundais des Personnes Vivant avec le VIH/SIDA, Burundi

Reseau National des Personnes Vivant avec le VIH Sida (RENIP+), Niger

RESULTS Canada, Canada

RESULTS Educational Fund, USA

RESULTS Japan, Japan

RESULTS UK, United Kingdom

The Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, Romania

Royal Emeg Foundation, United Kingdom

Russian Harm Reduction Network (RHRN), Russia

SAfAIDS, South Africa

Safe Nepal, Nepal

The San Francisco Foundation, USA

School Sisters of St. Francis, USA

Seeking Waste Solutions through Alternatives (VIKALP), India

Senderos Asociación Mutual, Colombia

Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), USA

The Siberian Alternative Center, Russia

Siec Plus, Poland

Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE), USA

SISAL, Madagascar

Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, USA

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Central Leadership, USA

Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, US and Caribbean

Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, USA

Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, USA

Sisters of Mercy Regional Community of Detroit, USA

Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, USA

Social Help & Research Organization (SHRO), Pakistan

Society "Association HIV.LV," Latvia

Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHII), India

Southern Africa Treatment Access Movement (SATAMo), Southern Africa

Speranta Terrei, Moldova

Stop AIDS Alliance, Belgium

Stop AIDS Campaign, United Kingdom

STOP AIDS NOW!, The Netherlands

Stop Aids Slovenija, Slovenia

Stop TB, Canada

Stop TB Italia, Italy

Stop TB Partnership Japan, Japan

Stop TB and HIV/AIDS, The Gambia

Students for Global Health at Harvard Medical School, USA

Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC), USA

Student Stop AIDS Campaign, United Kingdom

Swami Vivekanand Cultural Foundation, India

Swiss Centre for International Health of the Swiss Tropical Institute, Switzerland

Target TB, United Kingdom

TB Alert, United Kingdom

TB Survival Project

TB Voice Network, Ghana

Tearfund, United Kingdom

Tianjin Aids Home, China

Treatment Action Campaign, South Africa

Treatment Action Group, USA

Twaasuka Home Based Care, Zambia

Uganda Medical Association, Uganda

UK Ukrainian AIDS Response, United Kingdom

UNAIDS PCB NGO Delegation

UNICEF UK, United Kingdom

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, USA

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, USA

United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Switzerland

United Church of Christ Wider Church Ministries, Switzerland

University Coalitions for Global Health, USA

Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, USA

U.S. Positive Women's Network, USA

VSO International, United Kingdom

Walden Asset Management, a Division of Boston Trust & Investment Management Company, USA

We For Civil Equality, Armenia

Women-Health-Development (FESADE), Cameroon

Women's Center, Georgia

World AIDS Campaign, Netherlands/South Africa

World Care Council, Democratic Republic of the Congo

World Care Council, India

World Vision, India

World Vision International, United Kingdom

Yunan Daytop Village for Drug Abuse, China

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