Treating MDR-TB is a lengthy, expensive, and extremely challenging process. It requires patients to submit to arduous treatment carrying many side effects for up to two years. Difficulty treating and diagnosing MDR-TB has led to the fact that fewer than 2.5% of the approximately 500,000 people who have developed MDR-TB receive the appropriate treatment. This is largely because without access to simple diagnostics, fewer than 5% of cases are identified.

UNITAID, together with its partners, is working to increase the number of patients that have access to MDR-TB treatment, accelerate scale-up, and prevent treatment interruption. It is working to reduce drug delivery times from three to six months down to three weeks. UNITAID is also encouraging more producers to enter the market, helping improve quality and reduce prices by up to 25% by 2011.

Description of the project

A.	Project title:	Muli-Drug Resistant (MDR)-TB Scale-up and Acceleration of Access: 2008-2011
B.	Timeframe:	Project duration: 2008-2012
C.	Amount committed by UNITAID:	US$ 54 046 000
D.	Lead partner:	Global Drug Facility (GDF), Stop TB Partnership, World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
E.	Other partner(s):	Green Light Committee (GLC)