“When Germany and other wealthy nations came together to create the Global Fund [to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria] a decade ago, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria were leading causes of death in developing countries and a major source of poverty,” Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes in the Huffington Post’s “The Big Push” blog. “But world leaders recognized that they could make dramatic gains against these three diseases by expanding the delivery of a few low-cost, lifesaving tools to those who needed them,” she states, noting the Global Fund has played a “key role” in decreasing the cost of HIV treatment, in introducing a diagnostic test that can detect TB infection in less than two hours, and “in reducing Malaria in Africa by 33 percent.” However, “that is not enough,” she continues, adding, “I am confident that Germany will continue to be a leader in the global fight against AIDS, TB and malaria. … Thanks to Germany, we are getting closer to the $5 billion annual target that the Global Fund needs to reach its ambitious goals.” She concludes, “This is certainly a significant investment, but it is one that will pay back many times over” (6/19).