News & insights

We were pleased to have been asked by the Technical Evaluation Reference Group (TERG) of the Global Fund, to conduct an evaluation on accelerating equitable deployment and access to innovation. The main objectives of the evaluation were to assess the design, implementation and results of the equitable deployment of innovation supported by the Global Fund and to identify any barriers or enabling factors for scaling-up innovations.

The first step of the assignment was to develop a working definition and typology of innovation at the Global Fund. The primary objective of this definition and typology was to serve as an assessment framework for this evaluation, but also to serve as a framework for the Global Fund and its partners to support their thinking and work around innovation.

The evaluation applied a mixed methods approach primarily based upon seven innovation case studies (cross-validated and complemented by country case studies, alongside wider data/ document review and stakeholder consultations). The seven innovation case studies included a mix of product-based and non-product innovations including:

• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis);
• HIV self-testing;
• molecular testing platforms for TB such as GeneXpert and Molbio Truenat;
• oral-regimens with Bedaquiline for drug-resistant TB patients;
• new types of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs);
• facility-level financing; and
• mobile financial payments.

Four country case studies were conducted in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Georgia and Indonesia.

The findings and recommendations of the evaluation will inform the Global Fund Secretariat’s work to improve access to innovations under the Global Fund’s new 2023-28 Strategy. The Global Fund has published their Position Paper, together with CEPA's Final Report.

Commenting on the value of this work, the Global Fund publication notes that “The TERG endorses the key findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Evaluation” and “The Secretariat welcomes and appreciates the report and its findings and broadly agrees with the findings and high-level conclusions from the report and the TERG position.