Medicines./PHOTO ; pexels-pixabay
At the 2025 Goalkeepers event, Bill Gates announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will commit $912 million over the next three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
The pledge, aimed at supporting the fund’s 2026–2028 replenishment, comes at a pivotal moment as global health aid faces steep cuts.
The Global Fund, one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century, has saved more than 70 million lives since its creation in 2002.
It has helped reduce deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria by more than 60 percent, while also strengthening fragile health systems around the world.
Its current replenishment cycle ends this November, placing new urgency on governments and donors to step up with significant contributions.
“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” Gates told the audience of leaders, innovators, and advocates gathered in New York.
“I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible.”
A Turning Point for Global Health
The announcement comes against a backdrop of shrinking budgets for global development assistance for health.
Many donor countries are grappling with domestic economic pressures, debt burdens, and aging populations.
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, global health aid dropped by 21 percent between 2024 and 2025—its lowest point in 15 years.
The implications are stark. Since 2000, child mortality has fallen by half, from 10 million to under 5 million deaths annually.
Much of this progress has been fueled by investments in immunization, HIV treatment, malaria prevention, and TB control—all areas where the Global Fund plays a central role.
A sustained decline in funding could put these hard-won gains at risk.
Doing More With Less
This year’s Goalkeepers event focused on how leaders can continue making progress despite financial constraints.
Sessions highlighted the people, science, and policies driving new solutions, from community health innovations to technological breakthroughs.
The Gates Foundation emphasized that sustaining
momentum does not always require more money but smarter investments.
By prioritizing primary health care, scaling proven innovations, and investing in research and development, governments and partners can stretch limited resources further while saving lives.
The Global Fund, which channels resources into country-led programs, exemplifies this model.
Each dollar invested generates an estimated $19 in health and economic returns, making it one of the most cost-effective mechanisms for improving global health security.
Rallying Donors Before November
With the replenishment deadline fast approaching, the Gates Foundation’s pledge is also a signal meant to galvanize others.
South Africa and the United Kingdom, co-hosts of the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment, are urging governments, philanthropists, and private-sector partners to bring forward ambitious commitments.
“An entire generation is alive today thanks to the world’s generosity, smart investments, and the hard work of governments and Global Fund partners,” Gates said.
“Now, we must go further so the next generation grows up in a world where no child dies from preventable causes.”
Looking Ahead
The $912 million pledge brings the foundation’s total contributions to the Global Fund to nearly $4.9 billion since 2002, making it one of its largest investments.
Beyond financing, the pledge represents an appeal to global solidarity at a time when fractures in aid are widening.
The urgency is clear: without renewed commitments, the fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria could stall, reversing decades of progress.
With them, millions more children’s lives could be saved, and the vision of eradicating some of the world’s deadliest diseases by 2045 could move closer to reality.
About the Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
In developing countries, it works with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential.
Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
About Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals).
By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders, Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.
