Paediatric HIV/AIDS treatment project
Description of the project
Expanding treatment while driving the development of affordable child-friendly medicines
The Paediatric HIV/AIDS treatment project was started in 2006 with plans to be implemented in 40 countries: Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Cambodia; China; Côte d'Ivoire; Dominican Republic; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Guyana; Haiti; India; Jamaica; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS/Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines); Papua New Guinea; Rwanda; Senegal; Swaziland; Uganda; United Republic of Tanzania; Togo; Viet Nam; Zambia; and Zimbabwe. Twenty-nine countries had transitioned out of UNITAID funding by the end of 2011, with the following 11 countries continuing as part of the project in 2012: Burundi; Cameroon; Côte d'Ivoire; Democratic Republic of Congo; Malawi; Nigeria; Swaziland; Uganda; and Zimbabwe. Now that a paediatic HIV/AIDS medicines market has been successfully created, children in the transitioned countries will continue to receive antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as countries and other donors now have access to the same products and similar pricing as the UNITAID projects.
With little market incentive for companies in high-income countries to invest in paediatric HIV, the development of child-appropriate HIV medicines has consistently lagged behind. UNITAID is supporting the development of 'three-in-one' HIV medicines that simplify treatment for children. It is also fostering the expansion of paediatric HIV treatment and working to ensure that prices come down.
In 2011, CHAI achieved price reductions of up to 8% compared to 2010 prices on key paediatric ARV formulations, amounting to an overall price reduction of over 80% since the start of the project.
UNITAID funding has provided treatment to 355 000 children by late 2011. Thanks to UNITAID and CHAI, 11 paediatric formulations are now available in developing countries and the price of quality HIV medicines for children has fallen by up to 80% since 2006.
| A. | Project title: | Paediatric HIV/AIDS treatment project |
| B. | Timeframe: | Project duration: 2006–2012 |
| C. | Amount committed by UNITAID: | US$ 317 141 000 (final amount to be agreed by end March 2011) |
| D. | Lead partner: | Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) |
| E. | Other partner(s): |

