We, the undersigned partners, are concerned about the recent decision to freeze external funding for global health programmes. This reversal of support jeopardises decades of progress in combating infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, putting millions of lives at risk.
In resource-limited settings, where sustained support is critical, these programmes provide essential healthcare services, including access to life-saving treatments like antiretroviral therapy for HIV. Funding cuts will inevitably lead to increased illness, suffering, mortality and increased transmission, fueling the resurgence of these infections. As we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
We are particularly concerned about the impact on programmes dedicated to improving the health of mothers and children affected by HIV. Over the years, collaborative efforts have strengthened comprehensive healthcare service, particularly in Africa, contributing to significant advances in maternal and child health. This decision threatens to undermine these achievements and erode the resilience of systems built through years of dedicated work.
As a united global health community, we call on stakeholders, policymakers and funders to prioritise sustained investments in global health programmes. These investments are critical to ensuring that the gains made over decades are not lost and that the most vulnerable populations continue to receive the care and support they need.
Together, we reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing global health equity, fostering innovation and protecting the progress achieved. Let us work collectively to advocate for solutions that uphold these principles and secure the health and well-being of future generations.
Signed by: The Penta Foundation, Italy; Tristan Delory, Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois, France; Talía Sainz, Hospital La Paz and La Paz Research Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain; Angela Dramowski, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Dr Deborah Ford, MRC CTU, United Kingdom; Mara Maydana, La Plata Children’s Hospital, Argentina; Dr Bryony Treston; Evelina Kuushomwa, Namibia; Prof Sarah L. Pett, University College London, United Kingdom; Aoife Nolan, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Katja Doerholt, United Kingdom; Dr Michelle Clements, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Dr Ella Sheffield, Children’s Hospital, United Kingdom; Karina Butler, Children’s Health, Ireland; Professor Michael Evangeli, Royal Holloway University of London, United Kingdom; Helena Rabie, South Africa; Mónica Marco García, Spain; Emily Lees, United Kingdom; Prof Usha Menon, United Kingdom; Francesca Schiavone, United Kingdom; Dr Valériane Leroy, Inserm, University of Toulouse, France; Juliette Lucey; Dr Conor Tweed; Jennifer Furin, The Sentinel Project on Pediatric Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis; Maria Ines Bettina L. Santos; Prof Philippa Matthews, Professor of Infectious Diseases Francis Crick Institute and University College London, United Kingdom; Alfredo Tagarro, Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectious Disease (SEIP), Innovation in Global Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group (Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre), Spain; Mary Crist D. Jamora, MD, FPPS, FPIDSP, Philippines; Lisa Frigati, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa; Saima Ndume; Gerhard A Shiimi; Raus Irina, Kiev AIDS Center, Ukraine; Marc Lallemant, Penta Foundation, Italy & Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Jeanne Brochon, CHU de Nantes, France; Silvia Simó Nebot, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, Spain; Tuuli Metsvaht, Tartu University Children’s Hospital, Estonia; Dr Lizzie Chappell, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Professor Adilia Warris, MD PhD FRCPCH FECMM, United Kingdom; Intira Jeannie Collins, Phd, United Kingdom; Molly Bush, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Rosa Bologna, Helios Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Dr Paddy McMaster; Georgina Fernandes; Dr Tessa Goetghebuer; David Goetghebeur; Paul L. Domanico; Prof Ali Judd, United Kingdom; Adrie Bekker, South Africa; Marinella della Negra; Anne Kamphuis; Anna Turkova; Chishala Chabala, University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Zambia; Eric Decloedt; Dr. Angela Colbers, Radboudumc, Nijmegen; Dr Brar Piening, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Eudoxia Filipe, Ministry of Health-Mozambique; Karen Scott, MSc, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Annabelle South, PhD, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Sam Williams, Chiva, United Kingdom; Irja Lutsar, University of Tartu, Estonia; Prof Michael Levin, United Kingdom; Stefania Fiandrino, Sapienza University of Rome and ISI Foundation, Italy; Costanza Di Chiara, University of Padova, Italy; Tom Jacobs, Radboudumc, the Netherlands; Charlotte Hartley, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Marieke van der Zalm, Desmond Tutu TB centre, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Prof. Dr. Surbhi Malhotra-Kumar, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium; Damalie Nalwanga, Makerere University, Uganda; Julie JESSON, Inserm, Université de Toulouse, France; Ana Margarida Marques Garcia, Hospital Dona Estefânia, Portugal; Yacine Saidi, INSERM, France; Mariam Sylla, Faculté de Médecine de Bamako, Mali; Mackline Alinda, Bethany Women and Family hospital, Kampala, Uganda; J. Glenn Morris, Jr., MD, MPH&TM, University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, United States; Daniela Masci, University of Florence, Italy; Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko, Department of Tropical Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Книшук Людмила, Центр легеневого здоров’я, Ukraine; Professor James A Berkley, University of Oxford, United Kindgom; Claire Thorne, UCL, United Kingdom; Maria Grazia Lain, Mozambique; Ruth Nabbosa, Uganda; Anna Turkova, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Woottichai Khamduang, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Susan Purchase, Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Lario Viljoen, Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Lario Viljoen; Elri Nortier, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Lario Viljoen; Elske Sieswerda, UMC Utrecht, Netherlands; Joan Nangiya, Joint Clinical Research Centre Kampala, Uganda; Tiago Milheiro Silva, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Lisbon, Portugal; Tuhafeni ST Nghishitende; Emmanuel Roilides, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; Dr. Donato Bonifazi, Clinical Validation from Biopharmaceutical Findings (CVBF), Italy; TEDDY – European Network of Excellence for Paediatric Research; Awa Kane; Dr Aminata Diack, Réseau Enfants et VIH en Afrique; Dr Alexandra Compagnucci, INSERM-APHP, France; Fabio Di Todaro, ABOUTPHARMA, Italy; Désiré Lucien Dahorou, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS/CNRST), Burkina Faso; Peter Skoutari, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Cecilia Liberati, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, Italy; Daniele Dona’, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, Italy; Sandra Settin, Azienda Ospedaliera Padova, Italy; Patricia Likando, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia; Dr Elizabeth George, MRC CTU at UCL, United Kingdom; Mariagrazia Felisi, TEDDY Network; Piero Poletti, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italy; Pierre Frange, Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Necker – Enfants malades, AP-HP, Paris, France; Boumahdi Miriem, Inserm, France; Yoann Riault, Inserm, France; Sergio Chicumbe; Prof. Laurence Meyer, Paris Saclay University, France; Sue-Ann Meehan, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Rachel Foare, Inserm, France; Isabelle Charreau, Inserm SC10-US19, France; Virginia Rasi, CROlife, Italy; Alexandra Green, UCL, United Kingdom; Helen van Run, Registered Nurse, the Netherlands; Iratxe Ciriza, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Spain; Fedele Bonifazi, Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi Onlus, Italy; Catherine Wedderburn, South Africa; Paola Costenaro, Infectious Diseases Department, S. Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy; Rebecca Gathercole, City St George’s, University of London, United Kingdom; Dhruba Shrestha, Siddhi Memorial Hospital, Nepal; Vania Giacomet, University of Milan, Italy.