User:Hakisalim/sandbox

Creation
The concept for this WHO initiative – initially called the Massive Attack on Diseases of Poverty – was published in December 1999. The original concept suggested tackling “malaria, tuberculosis, unsafe pregnancy, AIDS, diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections and measles.” It also called for increased efforts to eradicate or eliminate Guinea Worm, polio, and leprosy by 2005, and make “monumental improvements in the delivery of effective and responsive health care." In a subsequent memo to WHO cabinet members and regional directors on March 14, 2000, the concept paper referenced new resource mobilization possibilities. By that time, the concept had evolved to concentrate on a smaller group of illnesses: tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, unsafe childbirth, and vaccine preventable diseases.

By the time of the G8 Experts’ Meeting on Global Health Issues in April 2000 in Tokyo, the group of diseases had been narrowed even further to include HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria.

On April 26, 2001, in Abuja, Nigeria, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan made the first explicit public call by a highly visible global leader for this new funding mechanism, proposing "the creation of a Global Fund, dedicated to the battle against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases." Secretary General Annan made the first contribution to the Global Fund in 2001. Having just been named the recipient of the 2001 Philadelphia Liberty Medal, Annan announced he would donate his USD 100,000 award to the Global Fund "war chest" he had just proposed creating.

The G8 called for the creation of the Global Fund at its summit in 2001, although pledges were significantly lower than the USD 7 billion to USD 10 billion annually called for by Kofi Annan. According to the G8’s final communique, “At Okinawa last year, we pledged to make a quantum leap in the fight against infectious diseases and to break the vicious cycle between disease and poverty. To meet that commitment and to respond to the appeal of the UN General Assembly, we have launched with the UN Secretary-General a new Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. We are determined to make the Fund operational before the end of the year. We have committed $1.3 billion. The Fund will be a public-private partnership and we call on other countries, the private sector, foundations, and academic institutions to join with their own contributions - financially, in kind and through shared expertise.”

The Global Fund's initial 18-member policy-setting board held its first meeting in January 2002, and issued its first call for proposals. The first secretariat was established in January 2002 with Paul Ehmer serving as team leader, soon replaced by Anders Nordstrom of Sweden who became the organization’s interim executive director. By the time the Global Fund Secretariat became operational, the organization had already received USD 1.9 billion in pledges.

In March 2002, a panel of international public health experts was named to begin reviewing project proposals that same month. In April 2002, the Global Fund awarded its first batch of grants – worth USD 378 million – to fight the three diseases in 31 countries.