Last September the Huffington Post, together with the Global Fund, launched The Big Push campaign, seeking to build on the great progress that has been made in recent years fighting AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Just as we did -- and continue to do -- for crises like unemployment, we wanted to change the narrative from fatalistic acceptance to an emphasis on what is working. And we wanted to tap into the can-do spirit of the well-known philanthropist Ray Chambers, who as the UN's special envoy for malaria has committed to helping end Africa's malaria deaths by 2015 -- a goal he has referred to as "daunting and a reach."
The Global Fund's investments have contributed to significant gains in treatment and prevention -- in 2012 alone, 9.7 million people were treated for tuberculosis, 4.2 million HIV-positive people received antiretroviral treatment and 301 million insecticide-treated nets were distributed to help families prevent malaria. And we in the media -- and especially at HuffPost, with our obsession with storytelling and starting conversations -- are in a unique position to open up the conversation on how we can continue to fight these diseases, as well as the tragic consequences of not doing so. As a World Health Organization report made clear, the leveling off of global funds for malaria prevention means that recent huge gains can easily be undone.
It doesn't have to be that way. And in order to keep the spotlight on what is possible -- and to coincide with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week -- HuffPost's front page will be featuring photos of those who have joined the Big Push to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria -- from leaders in politics, business and the arts to our own readers. You can join them and submit your own photo here.