2022 Activity Report – Redoubling efforts to better combat pandemics
2022, a key year to better fight pandemics
At the 7th Replenishment Conference in New York in September 2022, the President of the French Republic announced a 23% increase in the French contribution to the Global Fund , i.e. a total of approximately 1.6 billion euros for the 2023-2025 cycle, as well as an increase in the share of this contribution allocated to the Initiative to 20%, compared to 9% previously.
“The Initiative is a key element in France’s mobilization in global health.”
Aurélien Lechevallier, Director General of Globalization, Culture, Education and International Development at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affair
In response to the strong growth in allocated resources, L’Initiative has changed its methods of action. With an updated strategy , the system is ready to fight for more effective support in its fight against pandemics and for stronger health systems, serving populations.
This increase in power is also characterized by the creation of a new modality, ” The Accelerator “, which allows to concentrate support in terms of financing and expertise in neglected areas. A particular focus is made on the components aimed at strengthening human resources , the weak link in many health systems in the countries where The Initiative intervenes. The Accelerator has already demonstrated its relevance with very rapid responses to neglected needs in many countries.
In particular, by financing actions to strengthen human resources, the Initiative seeks to contribute to the training of health personnel, their better geographical distribution and the attractiveness of health professions.
With this in mind, L’Initiative is working to profoundly transform the health systems of the most fragile countries, with a cross-cutting approach. Thus, over the 2020-2022 triennium, 55% of technical assistance missions focused on strengthening health systems. Through its various support modalities, L’Initiative contributes to a range of actions for greater justice in health.
This is about continuing its commitment to universal and equitable access to quality health services, particularly for the most vulnerable or marginalized.
Éric Fleutelot, Technical Director of the major pandemics division of the health department of Expertise France
2022, a year of mobilization for the fight against pandemics
Over the period 2020-2022, L’Initiative has committed to 64 projects for a total of more than 69 million euros spread across 27 countries .
In 2022, L’Initiative committed €24.2 million to finance 26 catalytic projects aimed at changing public health practices and policies. In addition, in 2022, L’Initiative continued its commitment to priorities such as pediatric HIV, community health and secondary prevention of cervical cancer, particularly among women living with HIV.
The ramp-up of L’Initiative, thanks to a very sharply increasing budget, has made it possible since the beginning of 2023 to respond to the very numerous requests for support from countries that must prepare their funding requests in order to strengthen their fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria for the 2024-2026 cycle. To this end, L’Initiative has committed 11.5 million euros for the mobilization of skills through 85 technical assistance missions (data as of June 30, 2023).
2022, a year of action in the service of populations
For L’Initiative, acting where crises break out becomes a necessity when health systems risk being weakened.
Thus, in 2022, it provided emergency support to Ukraine, as the war was aggravating the spread of infectious diseases while Ukraine was one of the countries in Eastern Europe most affected by HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Since April, L’Initiative has granted exceptional support of €120,000 to its historical Ukrainian partners, AFEW and 100% LIFE. The creation of an emergency fund with €5 million in the 2023 budget has already enabled Ukrainian NGOs to guarantee the continuity of care for the population and ensure the implementation of emergency activities during the winter of 2022-2023.
This year was also marked by L’Initiative’s support for its first project targeting transgender people. In 2020, 75% of transgender people in Côte d’Ivoire reported never having been reached by a healthcare offer. The REVU Trans project in Côte d’Ivoire, led by Enda Santé, primarily targets transgender people. Its overall objective is to improve their access to health services .
It is essential for the Initiative to support vulnerable populations and people who are discriminated against.
