Learning About HIV, TB and Health Systems with the Global Fund Team
Joined fellow UNDP Student Ambassadors for a learning session with the Global Fund team, followed by a tour of the Global Fund Warehouse in Gumbo.
On 5 May 2026, I joined fellow members of the second cohort of UNDP Student Ambassadors in South Sudan for a learning session with the Global Fund team at the UNDP South Sudan office.
The session focused on joint efforts to end HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) and strengthen health systems in South Sudan.
We learned how the partnership between UNDP, the Global Fund, government institutions, and health stakeholders supports access to life-saving medicines and essential health services. The discussion also helped us understand that strong health systems depend not only on hospitals and healthcare professionals, but also on reliable storage, medical supply systems, oxygen availability, safe health-waste management, coordination, and sustainable partnerships.
From the Session to the Warehouse
Following the office session, we travelled to the Global Fund Warehouse in Gumbo for a guided tour.
During the visit, we explored the storage areas for essential medicines and medical supplies, learned about medical oxygen production, and observed some of the systems used to support the safe management and disposal of health waste.
Seeing this infrastructure firsthand made the earlier discussion more practical and meaningful. It showed us the important work that happens behind the scenes to ensure medicines, oxygen, and other essential health supplies can reach the people and communities that need them.
Behind every medicine delivered to a patient is a wider system involving people, infrastructure, planning, storage, transportation, and partnership.
Strengthening My Understanding of SDG 3
The experience connected directly with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. It strengthened my understanding of the importance of resilient health systems and the role of partnerships in addressing public-health challenges such as HIV/AIDS and TB.
As a UNDP Student Ambassador, I believe young people can contribute by sharing accurate health information, challenging stigma and misinformation around HIV and TB, promoting responsible health awareness, and encouraging their communities to seek reliable knowledge and appropriate care.
I am grateful to UNDP South Sudan and the Global Fund team for giving us the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and observe this important work firsthand. The experience expanded my understanding of how partnerships, infrastructure, and youth engagement can contribute to a healthier and more resilient South Sudan.
Photo credit: UNDP South Sudan.