Battersea resident urges the government to invest in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

A Battersea resident headed to parliament this week to urge the government to invest in the fight against aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

Frederik Jessen, 24, from Battersea made his way to parliament on Wednesday May 18 for a 'Day of Action'.

Frederik is the Youth Ambassador of the anti-poverty organisation The ONE Campaign in the UK.

The aim of the day was to campaign for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFFATM) which seeks to eradicate these diseases around the world.

Frederik says "The pandemic and its aftershocks have meant that for the first time in a generation we have seen the threat from AIDS, TB and malaria increase. Science has given us the tools to finally beat these diseases. 

"We have the knowledge and skills to get these tools where they are needed. What is missing is the investment to finish the job." 

He met with Battersea's MP, Marsha de Cordova, to talk about Global Fund success stories, presenting its investment case and how, if fully funded, it would help save 20 million lives.

Frederik urged MPs to call on the government to make an ambitious pledge to the Global Fund to end HIV, TB and Malaria.

In response to the information Frederik presented, Marsha de Cordova said: "I'm massively willing to commit to write to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, calling on them to increase their contribution to £1.8 billion."

The UK co-founded the GFFATM which has already saved over 44 million lives, halving the death rate from the three diseases in the countries in which the Global Fund works.

Due to the pandemic however, in 2020 the programmes declined for the first time in history. This was also the result of a disinvestment into Global Health.

1 million fewer people with TB were treated, HIV testing dropped by 22%, and malaria deaths increased by 12.4% in Global Fund eligible countries. 

Romilly Greenhill, UK Director of The ONE Campaign, said "This may seem like a big ask in a moment when economies around the world are being squeezed - but it is worth every penny. Not just from the millions of lives saved in the next three years, nor ending the biggest killers in human history, but also from building a future that is more resilient to the threat of all diseases."