Geneva – The Unitaid Executive Board convened its 44th session to review the past year’s progress in accelerating the introduction and equitable adoption of key health products, and set a bold new approach for the future investments by voting to approve five new areas for intervention.
The five new investment areas will strengthen Unitaid’s already robust investment pipeline in low- and middle-income countries by advancing core work in women’s and children’s health, regional manufacturing, health system strengthening and pandemic preparedness and response. Specifically, the interventions will:
- Improve access to care for moderate and severe anemia in pregnant and nursing women; children; and people who have been affected by malaria.
- Enhance risk detection and management of pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal complication in pregnancy.
- Advance innovations in sustainable oxygen production and supply.
- Promote people-centered care through integrated diagnostic tools and delivery, and expanding access to self-testing for cervical cancer, HIV and tuberculosis.
- Support regional manufacturing of priority health products for equitable access and health security.
In a world grappling with the resurgence of malaria and tuberculosis, increasing drug resistance, the growing health-related threats caused by climate change and a more competitive funding environment, Unitaid’s unique role in global health is more crucial than ever. With a comparatively modest budget, Unitaid has had a tremendous impact. More than 300 million people use Unitaid-supported tests, treatments and tools, and our innovative approach is projected to save countries and partners more than US$8 billion by 2030. Unitaid’s innovations have proven to help partners reach global targets over three years faster than anticipated.
“As we move beyond the COVID-19 response, our efforts in therapeutics, diagnostics, market shaping, oxygen provision, regional manufacturing, and climate and health will continue to help countries address current challenges and prepare for future pandemics,” said Unitaid Executive Director Dr. Philippe Duneton. “With these five new areas for intervention, Unitaid reaffirms its commitment to creating a more efficient, effective, and equitable global health infrastructure.”
Unitaid also reported to the Executive Board on its key successes over the last year, which included funding the TB-CHAMP trial for children at risk of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), leading to the WHO’s first-ever recommendation of a preventative MDR-TB treatment for children. We also supported the use of targeted next-generation sequencing for rapid and precise TB diagnosis, enhancing treatment success and combating antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, we worked with partners to accelerate the procurement and deployment of 56 million next-generation dual-insecticide mosquito nets under the New Nets Project, which have already prevented an estimated 13 million malaria cases and over 24,000 deaths across 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This year also marked a significant milestone for Unitaid and our partners as we celebrated 10 years of success with dolutegravir, a best-in-class HIV treatment Unitaid helped introduce. The cost of dolutegravir-based HIV treatment dropped to a record low of under $45 annually, benefiting 24 million people with the lowest-priced HIV drug ever.
Central to this success is the network of strategic, impact-focused partnerships Unitaid has built since its inception – which includes governments, manufacturers, researchers, regional economic communities and civil society – to address barriers that hinder access to essential health products. Our collective approach supports efforts such as the Future of Global Health Initiatives to increase efficiencies and cost savings by connecting partners to achieve more than the sum of our parts. Unitaid also remains committed to involving community voices, which ensures that the perspectives and needs of affected communities are integrated into the design and implementation of health interventions. This community-driven engagement enhances the relevance and impact of Unitaid’s programs, fostering trust and cooperation at the grassroots level and ensuring that our work is shaped by the needs of low- and middle-income countries.
“As Chair of the Unitaid Executive Board, I am proud of the progress we have made in the past year. Looking forward, with the five newly approved areas of investment on anemia care, pre-eclampsia management, sustainable oxygen supply, integrated diagnostic tools and regional manufacturing, Unitaid is poised to make a significant impact,” said Unitaid Executive Board Chair Marisol Touraine. “These initiatives will not only enhance current health systems but also ensure preparedness for future health crises.”
Media Contact
Kyle Wilkinson, Media Officer, Unitaid
+41 79 445 1745
View All News