Yesterday we blogged about the robust advocacy movement underway to convince the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to broaden their funding portfolio with MNCH programming.
A letter endorsed by an unusual array of NGOs, academics, policy-influencers and service providers representing the three disease areas as well as the maternal, newborn and child health communities was submitted and discussed at the Global Fund board meeting winding up in Sofia, Bulgaria today. That letter and an official Board discussion of the Fund’s potential paradigm shift generated a “Decision Point” released late yesterday (PDF) — it’s the Board decision on the proposal to expand its mandate. The Decision Point makes it clear that the Global Fund wants to see more proposals that incorporate MNCH interventions but those interventions must fall within the framework of projects that address HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria. The proverbial genie is out of the bottle — no doubt that the advocacy will continue while the Fund develops a new 5 year strategy (2011-16). We’ll keep tracking this important evolution of the one of the world’s most innovative and, some would say, successful multi-lateral health funding mechanisms.