Investments in Global Health Deliver £19 for Every £1 Spent, Experts Say

As of November 12th, 2025, investments in tackling the global epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria have proven to be highly effective and valuable. According to experts, these efforts have cut deaths from these diseases by more than 80% in countries where they were once the primary cause of mortality.

Beyond saving lives, these investments have also strengthened fragile health systems worldwide, improved global surveillance of infectious diseases, and reduced the risk of outbreaks that could reach the UK's shores. In fact, the data shows that the infrastructure and expertise developed to combat AIDS, TB, and malaria played a crucial role in tracking the spread of COVID-19 and identifying new variants early on.

Given the enormous cost the UK government incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts argue that if these global health investments reduce the risk of a similar crisis by just 1%, the benefit to the UK would be worth at least £2 billion. Looked at this way, the UK's continued pledge to support these efforts is seen as a small price to pay for the immense returns it generates - around £19 for every £1 invested.

For two decades, both Conservative and Labour governments have backed the Global Fund's work in this area, recognizing it as embodying British values of fairness, efficiency, and global leadership. Pulling back from this fight now would send the wrong message, undermining the UK's credibility as it calls on others to tackle shared threats like pandemics and climate change.