UNITAID launches call for submissions for next round of funding

UNITAID will be accepting letters of intent (LOIs) on proposed projects until 22 September 2013. Call details and LOI submission guidelines are available at: http://www.unitaid.org/calls. All ideas must be directly aligned with one or more of UNITAID's Strategic Objectives, part of UNITAID's recently-released Strategy 2013-2016:

1. Increase access to simple, point-of-care diagnostics for HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria
2. Increase access to affordable, paediatric medicines to treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria
3. Increase access to emerging medicines and/or regimens, as well as new formulations, dosage forms, or strengths of existing medicines that will improve the treatment of HIV/AIDS and co infections such as viral hepatitis
4. Increase access to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and emerging medicines, that, in combination with appropriate diagnostic testing, will improve the treatment of malaria
5. Secure supply of second-line TB medicines, and increase access to emerging medicines and regimens that will improve treatment of both drug-sensitive and multi drug-resistant TB
6. Increase access to products for the prevention of HIV, TB, and malaria

This current Call for LOIs places emphasis on Objectives 3, 4 and 5: new interventions focused on treatments for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.

LOIs are short conceptual presentations of proposed projects that can be submitted online in either English or French to UNITAID. Proponents with successful LOIs will then be invited to submit full proposals for UNITAID funding. To learn more about UNITAID, visit UNITAID's 2012 Annual Report.

LOIs must be submitted to UNITAID by 17:00 Geneva (Switzerland) time (GMT+1) on Sunday 22 September 2013. Proponents will be notified by mid October 2013 as to whether they will be invited to submit a full project proposal based on the LOI. Requests for further information on this Call for LOIs should be sent to: loiunitaid@who.int.

Source: UNITAID