The Global Fund COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM)

The COVID-19 pandemic continues having a devastating impact on public health, societies, and economies around the world. The spread of more infectious virus variants has resulted in increasing COVID-19 infections and deaths, especially in lower-income countries. These countries are particularly hit because the global roll-out of safe and efficacious SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is slow and inequitable due to the currently limited production capacities. This makes complementary tools such as continuous public health measures, increased testing and novel COVID-19 treatments indispensable to reduce transmission and gain control of the pandemic. Yet, lower-income countries face a lack of funding for COVID-19 tests, therapies/oxygen, and infection control tools.

In the context of the additional framework credit of 300 million Swiss francs that Switzerland contributes to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) (Federal Decree of 4.6.2021), it dedicates 50 million Swiss francs to The Global Fund COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM). The Global Fund is a global funding mechanism that provides support to countries in their control response to HIV, TB and malaria, and a co-convenor of the ACT-A. The C19RM is a temporary, timebound financing mechanism of The Global Fund that is to mitigate negative effects of COVID-19 on country health budgets and services for HIV, TB and malaria while also responding to countries’ urgent COVID-19 related needs in terms of tests, treatments and Personal Protective Equipment. It is complementary to Switzerland’s contributions to The Wellcome Trust and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) that focus on the research and development of new COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics.

Ultimate beneficiaries: Communities most impacted by COVID-19, including key and vulnerable populations and people living with/affected by HIV, TB and malaria.

Direct beneficiaries: National governments, health authorities and frontline health workers

Outcome 1: Strengthen COVID-19 control and containment interventions, including testing, treatment, personal protective equipment, communications and other health and social measures

Outcome 2: Mitigate the effects of the pandemic on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

Outcome 3: Expand reinforcement of health and community systems, including disease surveillance and laboratory systems and community mobilization

Erwartete Resultate:  

1.     Provide swift and flexible funding to countries (through 31.03.2022) to enable them to implement an effective and rapid response to the pandemic

2.    Continue to mobilize additional funds from public and private donors  (through 31.12.2021) to support C19RM

Resultate von früheren Phasen:  

Since March 2020, The Global Fund has deployed US$1.1 billion to fight COVID-19 and mitigate the impact on HIV, TB and malaria in 119 countries and multi-country programs. Illustrative key results are:

-        20.6 million diagnostic tests funded and ordered for 79 countries of which 83% have been delivered

-        Personal Protective Equipment worth of US$113.6 million funded and ordered for 52 countries of which 81% have been delivered

Phase 1 01.10.2021 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)