The Global Fund—the body that funds developing countries to treat and prevent Aids, tuberculosis and malaria—has raised more than $14 million for the period between 2020 and 2022.

Kenya had pledged $5 million while Uganda committed to contribute $1.5 million to the fund.

The amount raised so far—still pledges at this point—was made at the board’s 42nd meeting, a month to the meeting in France where Global Fund will hold its sixth fundraising event called replenishment.

Kenya and Uganda are the only countries in the region that have pledged. Nigeria is the biggest African contributor at $10 million, laudable for countries that have been primarily recipients of donor money.

Recipient countries are being encouraged to participation in funding the Fund for their own health systems.

Beneficiary countries will know how much they will be allocated by December, and the total amounts disbursed to countries is expected to be higher than the previous year.

In statement sent to The EastAfrican, the executive director of the Global Fund Peter Sands said the body would use the money with special focus on “the most vulnerable people so that no one is left behind in efforts to end epidemics.”

Mr Sands call for care of the vulnerable comes at a time when the world health community is celebrating the roll out of the second Ebola vaccine in the DR Congo, a disease that had thrived on insecurity and poverty in the areas affected.

The World Health Organisation announced the disease had claimed 2,192 lives and more than 3,200 confirmed infections since August 2018.

Tanzania had reported a case of Ebola as well despite the government’s vehement denials.

Of the 10 to 13 disease outbreaks that were listed by the World Health Organisation in 2019 every month, at least nine were reported in Africa and majority of the in Democratic Republic of Congo.