Geneva – Unitaid is pleased to welcome a contribution of NOK 350 million (US$40 million) from Norway towards its vital work on COVID-19 treatments and tests.

As a founding member of Unitaid, Norway has been a longstanding supporter of its efforts to bring forward life-saving global health innovations.

This funding will enable Unitaid to advance the development and equitable access to therapeutics and diagnostics for COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries, under the umbrella of the global Access to COVID Tools Accelerator (ACT-A).

The focus will be twofold: firstly, collaborating with FIND and industry partners to push forward the development of high-quality, affordable self-tests for COVID-19 that are suitable for use in low-resource settings.

Secondly, Unitaid will work with ACT-A partners to adapt COVID-19 treatments and initiate country preparedness for promising treatments such as monoclonal antibodies.

Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid, said: “I would like to express my gratitude to Norway for the significant contribution to Unitaid to advance the development and equitable access to therapeutics and diagnostics for COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries. The Norwegian contribution will be vital to enhance disease control and hopefully decrease severe illness in the coming year.”

Norway’s Minister of International Development, Dag-Inge Ulstein said: “Unprecedented global collaboration has significantly advanced our understanding of what works to fight the disease and has contributed to major progress in the past months. However, we must remember that vaccines are only one part of the solution. We must ensure equitable access not only to vaccines, but also to tests and medicines, as well as strengthened health systems. We can only end this pandemic if we use all the tools in the toolbox.”

Norway contributes US$40m to Unitaid’s work on treatments and tests to fight #COVID19 https://t.co/TsZPWrxHVC pic.twitter.com/iRGAhREpgC

— Unitaid (@UNITAID) December 22, 2020

Media contacts: 

Hervé Verhoosel | +44 7729 618634 | verhooselh@unitaid.who.int

Charlotte Baker | tel. +44 7904 460 181 | bakerc@unitaid.who.int