World TB Day 2012 was marked on the 24^th of March. With a backdrop of a funding crisis in the battle against TB, Michael Gwaba a TB-HIV Patient-Advocate speaks about his personal experience of the Global Fund.

A $1.7 billion funding shortfall to fight tuberculosis (TB) over the next five years means 3.4 million patients will go untreated and gains made against the disease will be reversed.  Over 80% of the external funding that is going into tuberculosis control comes from the Global Fund and the Global Fund is facing a funding crisis.

In the week leading up to World TB Day 2012, RESULTS UK welcomed Michael Gwaba a TB-HIV Patient-Advocate from Zambia.  In an interview with Reuters he discussed his personal experiences of the Global Fund.

“I have seen the Global Fund work – I’m alive thanks to its investments in Zambia. But right now we now risk reversing the gains we have made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. Millions of people are now on TB treatment, HIV positive mothers are now able to give birth to HIV negative babies and malaria death rates have declined because of the increase in use of tools such as insecticide treated mosquito nets. But without new investment fast, those still waiting for treatment and care won’t be as lucky as I have been.  We have done well in terms of providing treatment for people with TB because of the funds from the Global Fund.  Our present worry is that if the Global Fund is not funded, that is going to affect all the work we’ve done within the country.”

To read the full article please see –

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/23/us-tuberculosis-funding-idUKBRE82M00A20120323