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  Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.

15/10/2009

UNITAID Implementers' Meeting

Improving the delivery of UNITAID-funded projects at country level

A consultation with policy makers, implementers and funders

Nairobi, Kenya, 15 and 16 October 2009

UNITAID programme of work

UNITAID  funds  are  mostly  derived  from  innovative  funding  sources,  which  are  secure, additional,  sustainable  and  predictable.  This  allows  UNITAID  to  provide  market  based incentives  with  the  view to  enlarging  the number  of  low  cost manufacturers  and suppliers. UNITAID  also  aims  to  have  new  medicines,  diagnostics,  and  related  commodities  on  the market that are better adapted to patients' needs.

Thus far UNITAID has focused its interventions in the following niche areas:

• Paediatric and Second Line ARVs and related commodities;
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT);
• Malaria treatment and prevention;
• Treatments and diagnostics for tuberculosis (First Line, Paediatric and MDR-TB);
• Prequalification of medicines and diagnostics.

Board  approved  projects  are undertaken  in conjunction  with  partners who  are responsible for the implementation  of  activities.  These  strategic  partners  include  the Clinton  HIV/AIDS Initiative  (CHAI),  Ensemble  pour  une  Solidarité  Thérapeutique  Hospitalière  En  Réseau (ESTHER),   the   Foundation   for   Innovative   New   Diagnostics   (FIND),   the   Global   Drug Facility   (GDF),   the   Global   Fund,   the   Global   Laboratory   Initiative   (GLI),   I+   Solutions, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

In  addition,  UNITAID  is  working  on  the  implementation  of  an  HIV/AIDS  medicines  patent pool  with  the  aim  to  diversify  and  increase  generic  suppliers  of  new  AIDS medicines,  and increase  and  accelerate  the  development  of  fixed-dose  combinations  (FDCs),  including formulations for children.

UNITAID-supported projects

UNITAID  has  committed  over  US$  730  million  dollars  since  2006  to  increase  access  to quality  testing  and  treatments  for  HIV,  malaria  and  tuberculosis  in  93  countries  in  Africa, Asia,  Europe,  and  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean  with  close  to  90%  of  the  funding  to date supporting  projects in sub-Saharan Africa.  The  results attained  have been significant. During this period, UNITAID has helped decrease the price of a number of key medicines, in  some  cases  by  almost  60%,  and  supported  the  development  of  more  user  friendly quality diagnostics.

Objectives of the meeting

UNITAID   plans   to   convene   periodic  consultations   with   its   implementing   countries  and implementing   partner   agencies   to   share   knowledge   and   experiences   with   a   view   to identifying  best  practice  and  informing  strategic  approaches  at  national  and  international levels.   It   is   expected   that   the   exchange   of   lessons   learnt   will   optimise   the   technical sustainability   of   UNITAID-funded   projects   and   render   its   collaborative   initiatives   more effective,  as  well  as  helping  to  improve  UNITAID's  policies  and  practices.  The  first  of these  consultations,  to  be  held  in  Nairobi  on  15  and  16  October  2009,  is  for  countries  in Eastern and Southern Africa and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

The   Nairobi   meeting   will   bring   together   policy   makers,   programme   managers,   and implementing partners. The  consultation therefore aims to  engage the  countries  and draw on   their   experiences   thus   far,   and   stimulate   a   candid   discussion   on   challenges   and opportunities  that  have  presented  themselves  in  the  implementation  of  UNITAID-funded projects.   The  consultation  also  offers   an  occasion  for  implementing  partners   to  share experiences  and  to  gain  insights  from  the  country  perspectives,  and  provides  a  platform for countries to offer valuable input to inform the shaping of UNITAID's future.

The specific objectives of this first implementation consultation are to:

1.    Review    the    collaboration    between    countries    with    on-going    UNITAID-funded projects,    implementers,    and    UNITAID,    and    the    impact    thereof    on    project implementation;

2.    Identify  key  challenges  and  opportunities  to  make  project  implementation  more effective and efficient;

3.    Identify    means    for    integrating    the    UNITAID    partnership    model    into    country processes and planning frameworks;

4.    Propose measures for strengthening current interventions, and suggest new areas of   involvement   in   order   to   maximise   the   public   health   and   market   impact   of UNITAID-funding support.

Outcomes of the meeting

The two-day high-level consultation marks the beginning of a new phase of dialogue with our partner countries, organizations and civil society.                      

The report of the Meeting will be shared as soon as it has been finalized and the recommendations emanating from the discussions have been placed on  http://www.unitaid.eu/en/Implementers-meeting/ for review and input during the next two weeks. The key outcomes will then be presented for consideration by the UNITAID Board for policy development and improvement of programmatic implementation.

Side field visits, 14 October 2009

The Millennium Foundation participated to two field visits in Nairobi.

1) Nyumbani Health Center:

Nyumbani is aspecial home that cares for HIV+ orphans in Kenya. Its mission is to provide quality comprehensive care and support to HIV infected and affected children, families and communities in a sustainable manner.

2) National Quality Control Laboratory (N.Q.C.L):