UNITAID is a multi-lateral organization launched in 2006 by the governments of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom. UNITAID shapes markets for quality-assured products to treat, diagnose and prevent HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in developing countries. It focuses on addressing market shortcomings for health products at the global level. UNITAID identifies these shortcomings, then selects, launches and manages time-limited market interventions carried out by top global health implementers. These market interventions save lives in the countries directly targeted and also have a ‘multiplier effect’: when markets are transformed at the global level, other governments or donors are able to purchase better products at a lower cost than previously. In the MDR-TB area, UNITAID has implemented the following projects since 2008:
a) Treatments and Drug supply Projects:
- The MDR TB Scale-up Project which provided 15,000 MDR-TB treatments in 18 countries
- The MDR-TB Strategic Rotating stockpile which is a ware-housed, physical stock-pile of 5,800 MDR-TB regimes which helps alleviate drug stock-outs
b) MDR-TB Diagnostics – Two projects:
- The EXPAND TB Project which helped introduce new TB diagnostics into 99 referral labs in 27 countries and helped scale up MDR-TB detection
- The Xpert MTB Rif Project which reduced test cartridge prices by 40% and provided 220 machines and 1.2 million cartridges in 21 countries
More information is available at: www.unitaid.org