The global fund has been battling malaria and AIDS for years. The last meeting was an extraordinary success, raising $12.9 billion to fight both diseases. Yet it still has a long way to go. A recent political challenge by the global fund’s Executive Director Peter Sands has raised doubts about his ability to lead the fund in its work. Here are some reasons why. TB kills around 200,000 people a year and AIDS kills 1.5 million.
While Sands has a solid track record, many experts question his ability to address the issue. While he has a background in international finance, he has little experience in the area of global health. He has lobbied in the US on behalf of the Global Fund and has previously been elected to its board. He has also made the decision to take a leave of absence from his position as executive director.
The nomination process was incredibly competitive. Three candidates were shortlisted for the job, including a former Global Fund executive director. While Sands‘ credentials in international banking are impressive, he has not proven himself to be a good businessman. He has also served as the chairman of the World Bank’s International Working Group on Pandemic Preparedness. In addition to his tenure at the World Bank, Sands was a research fellow at the Harvard Global Health Institute and at the Mossavar Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. These posts involved a variety of financial and health projects, and it is unclear whether Sands‘ selection is the right one.
