A Partnership for Improving Health
Canada’s Life-Saving Bet: Backing the Global Fund
We face a choice: Keep fighting deadly diseases or let progress slip away.
In 2023, malaria killed 569,000 people in Africa. Three out of four were children under five. Here, a young boy lies on a bed, protected by a mosquito net.
It starts with a net: an insecticide-treated net hung over a bed. A simple, effective barrier.
In Guinea, it might mean a pregnant woman survives childbirth – because she didn’t contract malaria, a disease that can cause severe anemia, premature birth, or even death for mother and baby.
In Zimbabwe, it might mean a child wakes up healthy, not feverish.
In Cameroon, it might mean a family sleeps safely through the night, protected from disease-carrying mosquito bites.
These nets are distributed as part of an international effort led by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the world’s largest partnership dedicated to ending these deadly infectious diseases and making life-saving care accessible to all. Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved more than 65 million lives.
A global fight needs global commitment
Every three years, more than 100 countries renew their commitment to this mission. This year marks a new round of pledges – and with it, a pivotal question: Will Canada continue its support, or allow progress to stall?
As part of the last funding cycle between 2021 and 2024, Plan Canada’s partnership with the Global Fund reached more than 25 million people across 15 projects and 12 countries, including an estimated 7.7 million girls and 5.1 million women.
This time, if the Global Fund can raise its proposed target for funding, it projects the number of deaths by these three diseases could drop from 2.5 million in 2023 to less than 1 million by 2029.
Since 2012, Plan International Canada has partnered with the Global Fund to combat all three diseases – not just with medicine, but with education, prevention, and community-led care.
Canada ranks sixth among government donors to the Global Fund. It’s a legacy of leadership, and one we must uphold.
This story is a call to action. This fall, the Canadian government will decide how much to invest in the Global Fund for the next three years. We’re calling on Canadians to urge our leaders to review – and increase – our support. Because behind every net, every test, every treatment is a life depending on it.
Why this work matters: The cost of inaction
A malaria-ridden mosquito bite can feel like a regular bug bite on a summer evening. But days later, when the fever hits, the relentless shivering, burning skin, and pounding pain behind the eyes make it clear: Something is terribly wrong.
The good news? Prevention works. And global solutions are affordable – a $5 net can protect a family from malaria for up to three years. But delivering those nets takes coordination, commitment, and sustained investment.
When funding falters, the impact is swift and devastating:
- In Zimbabwe, malaria deaths jumped from 45 last year to 143 in 2025 after foreign aid cuts were implemented.
- Globally, malaria deaths are projected to surge by up to 337,000 between 2027 and 2029.
- Tuberculosis, now the world’s leading infectious disease killer, claimed 1.25 million lives in 2023. Without increased investment, drug-resistant TB will continue to spread, threatening millions more.
- A new study warns that 2.9 million more HIV-related deaths could occur by the end of the decade if current funding is reduced.
“It’s been over 40 years since the first case of HIV was discovered,” says Dr. Denise Sam, health advisor at Plan Canada. “At first, there was no medication; an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Today, thanks to life-saving antiretroviral therapy, millions of people are living full lives with their families and children.”
But without adequate funding, Sam adds that over 40 million people could lose access to that antiretroviral therapy. “HIV can develop resistance if treatment is interrupted – treatment that also reduces the risk of transmitting the disease to others. To fully eradicate the disease, we still need [millions] of dollars in [foreign aid] investment. The cost of inaction will be even greater loss.”
According to Global Fund research, children and adolescent girls and young women are still being left behind. In 2023, only 57% of children infected with HIV globally were getting the life-saving treatment they need, compared with 77% of adults. This means that 602,000 children living with HIV were not receiving antiretroviral therapy, contributing to 76,000 deaths.
Canada’s investment is saving lives – here’s how
Between 2021 and 2024, support from the Global Fund enabled Plan International to distribute 11.6 million nets across Guinea, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Senegal, protecting more than 21 million people from malaria.
“Pregnant women, many of whom are adolescent girls, and newborn babies are particularly vulnerable to malaria,” explains Sam. “And infection often leads to miscarriage or the birth of a child with a compromised immune system. But with a simple net, we can help prevent that.”
And it’s not only about nets. Focused, large-scale investment like the Global Fund’s ensures that prevention tools, testing, and treatment reach the people who need them most, year after year.
In areas where health care is limited or out of reach, Canada’s investment is helping build the kind of front-line support people can count on. This includes training local health workers and community volunteers, equipping mobile clinics, and supporting education programs that empower people to protect themselves and their families.
The return on investment is clear:
- In the past three years, Plan-supported programs reached over 25 million people across 15 projects in 12 countries.
- 12,812 pregnant women in Liberia and 18,386 in Guinea received preventive malaria treatment.
- The cost per person reached? Just C$7.76 – a small price for a life saved.
“Malaria rates have plummeted,” says Sam. “In the past, infant and maternal deaths due to malaria were tragically common, but now, more children and mothers are surviving thanks to improved access to care and prevention. In 2010, just three out of 10 people had access to protective mosquito nets. That number has nearly doubled.”
Beyond malaria: Fighting TB and HIV where they hit hardest
Step by step, we’re gaining ground against these diseases, reaching more people, and saving more lives.
Mosquito nets that prevent malaria are just one part of the story. The Global Fund’s reach goes far deeper – into the fight against TB and HIV, diseases that disproportionately affect women, girls, LGBTQ+ communities, and people living in poverty.
“Women and girls, who are typically the primary caregivers, bear the brunt of the burden,” explains Sam. “They spend time caring for sick family members, which limits their educational and economic opportunities and increases their own risk of infection due to close contact with anyone who is ill.”
In 2010, fewer than half of people with TB got the care they needed. Today, seven out of 10 do.
Back then, only two out of 10 people living with HIV were getting treatment. Now, it’s nearly eight out of 10. Globally, new HIV infections have declined by 39%, from 2.1 million in 2010 to 1.3 million in 2023.Lives changed. Futures protected.
The Global Fund’s reach is vast, but its impact is most visible in the lives it touches, especially in places where the stakes are highest. In Cameroon, Suzanne, a community health worker, brings care directly to families who once had no access to health services. In Zimbabwe, Tanyaradzwa learned how to protect herself from HIV so she could plan for her future. And in Guinea, Mabinty made an informed choice about her health thanks to a mobile health clinic.
Their stories, shared below, show how Canada’s support through Plan and the Global Fund is saving lives and protecting futures, one person at a time.
Meet Suzanne
Suzanne lives in rural Cameroon, where the nearest health facility is 30 kilometres away from her home. With no access to trained medical care, her options were limited. “When my children fell sick [with malaria and diarrhea], we invited a traditional healer,” she says. “But the children kept falling ill.”
This is the gap that Plan and the Global Fund are working to close – not just with medical supplies and testing but by building a network of trained local teams.
In Suzanne’s region, she is now one of 3,790 community health workers trained through Plan-supported programs. With the skills to recognize signs of malaria and tuberculosis, she visits families in their homes, checks on their children’s health, and ensures that they, too, understand the warning signs.
With rapid tests, Suzanne can identify and treat mild cases of malaria on the spot and refer severe ones to a health clinic. “Now I know how to protect my children,” she says. “I help others do the same.”
With support from the Global Fund, Plan is able to help more families get the care they need – especially children and pregnant women, who are most at risk when malaria goes untreated.
In the past three years alone, 12,812 pregnant women in Liberia received preventive treatment through Plan and local partners. Additionally, 18,386 pregnant women in Guinea were referred to receive the medicine. That’s a life-saving boost in protection for mothers and children. It also reduces the strain on already-fragile health systems, because fewer people fall ill in the first place.
“If we don’t continue investing in this area, millions of people won’t receive insecticide-treated mosquito nets,” says Sam. “Malaria cases will rise, especially among children and pregnant women. Cutting funding now would be a step backward.”
Meet Tanyaradzwa
In Zimbabwe, Tanyaradzwa used to walk 14 kilometres every day just to get to school and back. The route was dangerous: Gold panners often lingered along the road, targeting girls with unwanted attention and propositions. For Tanyaradzwa and millions of girls like her, even going to school can put their health at risk.
Young women aged 15 to 24 in sub-Saharan Africa are three times more likely to contract HIV than boys of the same age. The reasons are complex – girls’ bodies are biologically more vulnerable to the virus – but the bigger risks come from social realities. Many girls don’t feel they can refuse sex or insist on protection. Some exchange sex for money, food, or shelter, especially girls living in poverty or facing limited options to support themselves. Others simply don’t have access to the information or services that could keep them safe.
For Tanyaradzwa, what made the difference was her teachers.
“They taught me that I could choose to abstain from sex and that if I wanted to be with someone, I should get tested for HIV first,” she says. “Their lessons empowered me. Without that information, I might have given in to peer pressure. Instead, I made the right decisions about my life.”
When Tanyaradzwa’s grandfather lost his job and could no longer afford her school fees, her school connected Tanyaradzwa with Plan. Her tuition was covered, and she was offered a spot in the school’s boarding house – eliminating her daily walk and the risks that came with it. Now, she’s focused on her studies and planning to earn a degree in accounting from the University of Zimbabwe.
Planning a Career She Can Count On
In 2024 alone, 210,000 girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa learned they were infected with HIV. That’s 570 every single day.
Protecting girls’ health – especially their sexual health – is deeply tied to keeping them in school. Staying in school gives them access to life-saving information, like Tanyaradzwa had, and increases their chances of avoiding early marriage, unplanned pregnancy, and other activities that increase their risk of exposure to HIV.
According to World Bank research, if all girls completed secondary school, it could add up to $30 trillion to the global economy. But for girls like Tanyaradzwa, the impact is even more personal: gaining safety, education, and the power to shape their own future.
Meet Mabinty
Mabinty was at her training centre in Guinea’s Matoto district when the mobile health van pulled up. She was 24, and like many young women in her community, she had never been tested for HIV.
“At first, I was scared,” she says. “But the doctor explained everything and encouraged me. That helped me decide.”
Her result was negative. “I felt such relief,” she says. “Now I feel safer and more informed.”
Mabinty’s story is one of nearly 200,000. Between 2021 and 2024, Plan-supported teams reached thousands of girls and young women across countries in sub-Saharan Africa with HIV prevention kits. More than 34,000 of them got tested and now know their HIV status – an essential first step in protecting themselves and others.
But reaching those most at risk means going beyond clinics and hospitals. It means showing up in places where health services are limited or where stigma keeps people away. That’s where mobile health vans come in.
Health care on wheels
These vans travel to remote areas and underserved communities, offering rapid HIV testing, prevention kits, and counseling. In one year, mobile clinics reached more than 54,000 sex workers across Guinea – many of whom face discrimination and are excluded from traditional health systems – as well as thousands more young women like Mabinty.
“We set up right where they are,” says Juan, a health worker. “If we can’t reach them during the day, we go at night.”
Test results are ready in 30 minutes. Those who test positive are connected with care immediately.
“Bringing health care to people’s doorsteps isn’t easy,” Juan adds. “But this is what health equity looks like: meeting people where they are and breaking down barriers to care.”
Progress worth protecting
In Guinea, about 11 out of every 100 sex workers were living with HIV in 2017. By 2022, that number dropped to just under five, thanks to combined efforts like education, outreach, and better health care.
Prevention doesn’t just save lives – it saves money, too. For every dollar spent preventing HIV among adolescent girls, up to seven dollars are saved in future treatment. That’s why Plan International, like the Global Fund, puts prevention front and centre.
But this progress is fragile. A drop in foreign aid could undo years of work, leaving health systems overwhelmed and vulnerable communities without support.
Mabinty’s moment was one of courage. But it was also made possible by investment, outreach, and care that met her where she was.
See what a film team in Zimbabwe witnessed when they documented our Global-Fund supported HIV and malaria projects.
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