The Global Fund revised its results reporting methodology, incorporating a fuller amount of national results, following a Board decision in November 2016. The revised approach affects data from 2017 onward, and is first reported in the Global Fund's Results Report 2018.
The revised approach grew out of extensive consultations with partners about how to best report results and measure impact of investments in national programs. Together, representatives from donor nations, implementing nations and technical partners concluded that a collective approach best captures the goal of coordinating support for country-led programs with additional contributions from bilateral and multilateral funders.
Instead of attempting to attribute specific results to a single source of financing, the revised reporting methodology recognizes that many partners contribute to the success of any specific health program. The change, with more national results included, means it no longer makes sense to report cumulative Global Fund figures since 2002. Instead of providing a cumulative total for each indicator, we now report an annual figure.
The "lives saved" indicator is the sole exception, where we report a cumulative total. The methodology for lives saved employs models that analyze data from widely accepted sources recommended by technical partners. These models, using the most advanced methods currently available, yield sophisticated estimates, not scientifically exact figures.
Does the new methodology exaggerate Global Fund impact?
The Global Fund is not claiming credit for national results. As agreed with our partners, we are acknowledging the catalytic effect of international funders. We are gathering and reporting more granular data about the funding landscape in countries where the Global Fund invests to ensure we have a clear picture of our contribution to the results we are reporting.
When the Global Fund began in 2002, results-based funding was a new concept in global health. Just 16 years later, results-based funding has been mainstreamed into many organizations. We will continue to refine and improve our methods for measuring impact.
The Results Report 2018 delivers a summary of the impact and results achieved through the end of 2017 in countries and regions in which the Global Fund invests.