Global Health
Global Fund approves emergency funding to sustain TB and HIV services in crisis-hit Lebanon and Iraq – updates
Global Fund approves emergency funding to sustain TB and HIV services in crisis-hit Lebanon and Iraq
– The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the “Global Fund”) has approved $1.48 million in emergency funding to assist maintain essential tuberculosis (TB) and HIV services in Lebanon and Iraq, where the regional humanitarian crisis has severely impacted access to health care.
The emergency funds, which can run from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, will help sustain TB and HIV services by supporting diagnostics, laboratory capability, sputum transport systems and mobile clinics, in addition to TB screening, treatment and DOT (directly observed therapy). It may also help procure anti-TB and drug-resistant drugs, expand community outreach for TB and HIV, and supply dietary support to patients in crisis-affected areas.
These interventions shall be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with national health authorities, the World Health Organization and civil society partners.
Since early 2026, the escalating conflict within the Middle East has again exacerbated a serious regional humanitarian crisis, with severe repercussions in Lebanon and Iraq and spillover effects in neighboring countries. Massive displacement – now exceeding 15 million people – together with destroyed health infrastructure and access restrictions are hampering HIV, tuberculosis and malaria case detection, treatment continuity and prevention efforts.
In Lebanon, renewed hostilities in 2026 have displaced greater than 1 million people, a lot of whom live in overcrowded temporary shelters where the chance of infectious diseases – especially tuberculosis – is high. Damage to fifteen hospitals, the closure of six hospitals and 46 primary health care centers, and the continuing economic crisis have further weakened an already fragile health care system. These conditions have severely hampered access to TB and HIV treatment services, particularly for displaced people and high-risk populations.
Iraq continues to grapple with a protracted humanitarian crisis, with nearly 1 million internally displaced people, 350,000 refugees and 370,000 migrants from across the region. While these pressures existed even before the present crisis, the escalation within the region since early 2026 has intensified population flows, strained supply chains and limited access to healthcare. These conditions increase the chance of TB transmission, delayed diagnosis and treatment interruption, particularly amongst high-risk and hard-to-reach groups, including people deprived of their liberty.
Established in 2014, the Global Fund’s Emergency Fund provides rapid and versatile funding to make sure the continuity of HIV, TB and malaria programs and services during crises.
Between 2014 and December 2024, the Global Fund committed over USD 149 million through the Emergency Fund to support countries affected by conflict, environmental disasters and other acute crises.