UNITAID-funded TB projects
Pushing for scale-up of MDR-TB
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.
Rolling out a revolutionary rapid MDR-TB diagnostic
Diagnosing MDR-TB is very difficult, especially in resource-poor settings, where access to laboratories with sophisticated equipment can be limited. A new diagnostic test is now available which cuts the time it takes to diagnose MDR-TB from up to three months down to only two days. UNITAID has committed to funding these tests until 2011, with the aim of facilitating the response to 15% of the global MDR-TB burden, representing a three-fold increase over the current 5% of MDR-TB cases being diagnosed.
2010 update - Strengthening tuberculosis laboratories in Ethiopia what has been accomplished
Expanding access to tuberculosis treatment for children
UNITAID, through it partners, aims to provide more than 750,000 TB treatments to children under the age of 15 by 2011. It is also working to ensure the development and supply of new child-friendly TB formulations for children under four in at least 58 countries by 2011. By helping increase the number of manufacturers, UNITAID has additionally achieved price reductions for paediatric TB medicines of up to 18%. Further, UNITAIDs funding support to WHO has facilitated the prequalification of the first ever paediatric TB medicine.
