Unitaid

Unitaid is a global health initiative that is part of the World Health Organization. It is a major purchaser of drugs and diagnostics for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and it works to reduce prices and speed up the availability of treatment for these diseases in developing countries. Unitaid is funded by a levy on airline tickets and by government contributions.

History

Unitaid was established in 2006 by the governments of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom. The idea for the organization came from a proposal by French President Jacques Chirac and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a global tax to fund the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The proposal was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006.

Funding

Unitaid is funded by a levy on airline tickets and by government contributions. The airline ticket levy is implemented by nine countries: Cameroon, Chile, Congo, France, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, and the Republic of Korea. The levy has raised over $2 billion since it was implemented in 2006.

Impact

Unitaid has had a significant impact on the global fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It has helped to reduce the price of antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS by more than 80%, and it has helped to introduce new, more effective treatments for tuberculosis and malaria. Unitaid has also played a key role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in children, by supporting the development and introduction of child-friendly antiretroviral formulations.

See also

• World Health Organization
• HIV/AIDS
• Tuberculosis
• Malaria

References

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