Summarizing the successes made against AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria over the past decade, Deborah Derrick, president of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, writes in the Huffington Post’s “Impact” blog, “To truly bring the three diseases under control, a successful strategy requires that marginalized groups receive the public health attention they need — and are treated with the dignity they deserve. Focusing on these groups is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the medically smart thing to do.” The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria “prioritizes support for marginalized populations — the geographically isolated, women and girls, men who have sex with men, commercial sex workers, migrants and others,” she notes.

“By targeting high-risk populations and using the latest scientific knowledge, the Global Fund is evolving to ensure its investments help reduce transmission and save even more lives,” Derrick writes, adding, “This work isn’t easy. It depends on local community groups, faith-based organizations and people affected by the three diseases, who can help make sure Global Fund resources get to where they’re needed most.” She concludes, “This fight won’t be finished until access to lifesaving treatment, prevention and care is no longer determined by who people are or where they live. By investing now, we have the chance to be the generation that defeats these three diseases” (9/23).