Abstract
People living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria must have access to the right medicines, tests and products that prevent new infections. They must be:
- available in sufficient quantities
- quality assured
- affordable
- adapted to the needs of the person and delivered to the right person at the right time.
However, the markets for health products often fail to deliver what people need.
UNITAID was founded by the governments of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom in 2006, with close involvement of civil society. Its aim is to address problems in the market, and make sure people in low and middle-income countries have what they need to treat, diagnose and prevent HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, as well as serious co-infections like viral hepatitis which occur in people living with HIV* . UNITAID is funded in large part by a tax on airline tickets, with remaining funds coming from government pledges. Civil society has played a critical role from the outset in ensuring UNITAID’s work benefits affected communities.
