FUNDING NEEDS

Our government plans to give $10 billion to fund the global COVID-19 response, but this is not nearly enough to cover the extent of relief necessary. At least $20 billion is needed, and $4 billion needs to be explicitly set aside for the Global Fund.

The money can combat disruptions to HIV and TB programs due to the lockdown, as reported in a June 2020 survey from Global Fund recipients. Without this level of financial support, TB cases are estimated to increase by 6.3 million, along with another 1.4 million deaths by 2025.

If the United States, among others, contributes just $20 billion per year, millions of lives will be saved, along with $31-$50 trillion in global economic losses.

Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar must push for the $4 billion to the Global Fund and other resources to fight the pandemic.

– Varsha Udayakumar,

Palmetto Bay