Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Skoll Foundation and Comic Relief UK will commit almost $15 million to strengthen local health systems across Africa – press releases

Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Skoll Foundation and Comic Relief UK will commit almost $15 million to strengthen local health systems across Africa

January 21, 2026

– The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) has announced a £3 million donation from Comic Relief UK to strengthen local health systems across Africa. This commitment builds on previously announced commitments of $5 million from the Johnson & Johnson Foundation and $6 million from the Skoll Foundation, which collectively unlocks an extra $14.9 million in matching funds from the Gates Foundation as a part of the eighth replenishment of the Global Fund.

These investments will help countries maintain and expand the impact of local medical experts across Africa, constructing on the success of the Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund. The recent funding will strengthen and finance community health systems over the long run, ensuring resilience within the face of future health challenges.

“Investing in community health is one of the most effective and equitable ways to save lives, build resilience and strengthen health systems from the ground up. The commitments of the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, the Skoll Foundation and Comic Relief UK are fundamental and set the stage for others to join. Together we can deliver lasting change that protects health for generations.”

A proven impact model

The Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund has mobilized $219 million to strengthen local health systems in 22 countries, directly supporting 68,000 local medical experts with training, supplies, supervision and regular remuneration, enabling them to serve greater than 40 million people.

In 2024 alone, local medical experts supported through the Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund tested 12.8 million people for suspected malaria and treated 7.7 million confirmed cases, helping to avoid countless deaths of youngsters under five years of age while providing lifesaving care to distant communities.

“In Zambia, we are building the community health system of the future – one that serves our growing population and offers real career pathways. The Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund has been instrumental in making our vision a reality, from training over 2,000 community health assistants to strengthening the digital and payment systems that enable them to achieve the best outcomes. The Africa Frontline First platform demonstrates what visionary partnerships can achieve.”

“At a time of enormous pressure on global health, the Global Fund’s country-by-country approach provides real cause for hope and shows that through this crucial, life-saving partnership, progress can be accelerated in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. We are proud to provide £3 million over the next three years, generously funded by the Gates Foundation, to support the mainly women working in local communities across Africa who are ensuring dignity and care reach those who are too often left behind.”

Call to motion: protect progress, spend money on the longer term

The success of Africa Frontline First proves what is feasible when governments, communities and partners unite around a shared vision of sustainable community health. But maintaining this progress – and lengthening it to each community – requires urgent, collective motion.

“The crisis we face today is very different to those we have faced before. We must act decisively to protect our progress in community health and put these systems on a path to sovereignty. The Catalytic Fund has shown what is possible when we support nationally led plans. In a moment that requires smart investment, community health is as valuable as it gets. I commend the Skoll Foundation, the Johnson & Johnson Foundation and Comic Relief UK for their leadership – and I call on others donors to act, and to act quickly. Health care workers cannot afford the luxury of uncertainty. They show up for their neighbors every day – may we all act with the same urgency.”

“Supporting local health workers is critical to improving access to high-quality care around the world. They are part of the social fabric of their communities, which is what makes their impact so powerful. The Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund enables us to support their work at scale, ultimately strengthening health systems so that even more patients can access the care they need.”

“Community health workers are the backbone of primary health care in Africa. By investing in their sustainability, we are investing in equity, resilience and local leadership. These contributions reflect our belief that community health is the wisest and most sustainable investment we can make to protect lives and build stronger systems.”

“With the first fund, we put wheels on a car. Now we’re adding sustainable fuel. Africa Frontline First is about sustainability, sovereignty and resilience – helping governments own, finance and protect what they have built, while increasing efficiency and lowering costs in the long term.”

“Progress is valuable and must be protected. Community health workers don’t want a one-month job – they want a career. This next fund brings us closer to the day when community health workers everywhere are valued, paid and supported to serve their communities throughout their lives.”