The deadline for submissions is 12 February 2025

With two new calls for proposals, Unitaid aims to address implementation challenges and market barriers that restrict access to quality care for preeclampsia and anemia – two major causes of complications or death in pregnancy.

Pre-eclampsia is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy. The second leading cause of maternal death after postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia claims 76,000 women’s lives and causes 500,000 fetal and newborn deaths each year. The global incidence of preeclampsia has increased by 11% over the past 30 years and is linked to the rise in noncommunicable diseases like obesity and diabetes.

Anemia, a persistent public health issue on its own, affects 37% of all pregnant women and significantly increases the risk of potentially fatal pregnancy-related complications in both mother and baby. Compared to moderate anemia, severe anemia nearly doubles a woman’s risk of postpartum hemorrhage and increases preeclampsia. Anemia in pregnant women also puts infants at risk of being premature, low birth weight or stillborn.

Climate change further exacerbates both conditions. Extreme heat and higher concentrations of salt in drinking water, a consequence of sea level rise and coastal flooding, are increasing the prevalence of preeclampsia. Meanwhile, climate change-caused food insecurity limits sustainable access to essential nutrients and contributes to anemia.

In low- and middle-income countries, the high rates of complications and death from preeclampsia and anemia can be attributed, in part, to insufficient access to new and existing prevention, diagnosis and management tools and the limited reach of high-quality antenatal care services.

To accelerate uptake and consistent use of available, underutilized tools to address preeclampsia and anemia in low- and middle-income countries, Unitaid is soliciting proposals for large scale, multi-country demonstration projects, led by South-based implementers, that will build demand, generate evidence and catalyze broader implementation and product scale-up.

With a second call for proposals, Unitaid seeks to advance targeted product development, market access and other supply-side activities to expand access to a specific set of products for diagnosing, monitoring and treating preeclampsia and anemia.

With a total of US$50 million available across the two intervention areas, this new round of funding represents a doubling of Unitaid’s support for maternal and newborn health in low- and middle-income countries and will complement ongoing efforts to combat postpartum hemorrhage.

Learn more about these latest opportunities for funding and how to apply.