Meanwhile, the Global Fund’s guidelines are seen as encouraging countries to consider social and gender inequalities in their applications.45 Yet, it is not clear whether or not this recommendation has been followed in all cases, or how such considerations address existing inequities. In this regard, GHPs should analyse the specific factors that limit the access of poor people to health services, and ensure that their interventions help to overcome these limits. As Hanefeld (2008) points out: “GHIs [global health initiatives] need to consider social inequities, including gender inequities, in designing context-specific programmes, to ensure that these are equally accessible to women and men”.46 GHP policies and programmes should be checked for their potential longterm impact on social and gender inequities before they are implemented. For instance, the participation of pharmaceutical companies may have negative implications for equity, as there may be conflicts of interest.