UNITAID strongly welcomes the creation by the United Kingdom of a new 1 billion pound sterling fund to tackle malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

The fund, to be known as the Ross Fund, will enable the development and testing of vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, treatments and other technologies to help combat some of the world’s most serious infectious diseases in developing countries, including Ebola.

The Ross Fund was launched this week by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) George Osborne. The fund is named after Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes.

The Fund will also focus on the global fight to eradicate malaria, and will partner with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in this work.

“The establishment of a fund by the UK targeting malaria, TB and also encompassing Ebola and neglected tropical diseases is a most welcome step,” said UNITAID Executive Director Lelio Marmora. “UNITAID supports efforts to find health solutions to help accelerate the end of AIDS, TB, malaria and other infectious diseases.”