Portable thermal ablation devices allow more women to access lifesaving cervical cancer prevention in countries where the majority of deaths occur  

Geneva – Global health agency Unitaid and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) today released results from a two-year project to increase access to lifesaving treatment for cervical precancer in low- and middle-income countries.  

The white paper published today shows that thermal ablation, a portable and effective tool for treating cervical precancer, has the potential to substantially expand access in low- and middle-income countries where almost 90 percent of deaths occur. Although cervical cancer is preventable and curable, it continues to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women globally. Each year 300,000 women die from the disease. Women living with HIV are at particularly high risk of illness and death.  

In response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) call for the global elimination of cervical cancer, Unitaid has invested nearly US$70 million to increase access to life-saving screening and treatment tools that have shown to be better adapted for use in resource-limited settings than the current standard of care.  

Thermal ablation devices are easy to use and maintain and can be run on battery power, allowing them to be used at primary health facilities and in hard-to-reach settings. Following training, the devices can be operated by a broad range of health care workers, expanding the pool of staff who can safely offer treatment of precancerous lesions, which is critical in preventing the progression to cancer.  

Furthermore, with recently announced ‘access’ prices for thermal ablation devices, this treatment method is significantly more affordable than cryotherapy—the most common method of treatment in low-and middle-income countries.  

The devices are now available at the access prices through UNICEF Supply Division, a major new route for procurement, as well as directly through the manufacturers. This allows programs to affordably expand access, enabling more women to receive treatment following a positive screening result, saving lives, and helping countries to reach the goal of cervical cancer elimination. However, additional funding to support broader scale up of these devices is urgently needed so women everywhere can benefit.  

The outcomes are the result of a Unitaid-funded project led by CHAI in collaboration with governments in India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to support procurement and roll out of thermal ablation devices, develop clinical guidelines, and train health workers on device usage. Across the countries, the project found that thermal ablation improved equitable access to treatment because it can be used quickly, safely, and effectively, even in the most remote clinics, reducing the number of patients lost to follow-up and reaching more women. Rapid treatment following diagnosis of cervical precancer is critical to cancer prevention.  

“When women have access to early screening and treatment, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. “With more affordable, portable devices that can be used in local health centers, we have the tools and the model that can deliver cervical cancer elimination. Now we need governments, with national and international partners to step in and step up to ensure this work benefits all women, everywhere.” 

CHAI Executive Vice President for Vaccines and Non-Communicable Diseases, Joshua Chu, stated, “This innovative project has shown that thermal ablation can be effectively and affordably rolled out across our partner countries. Most importantly, it is reaching more women with lifesaving treatment which will save lives and bring us one step closer to cervical cancer elimination.” 

Increased portability enables governments to offer treatment for precancerous lesions flexibly within either campaign-style screening models or at defined health facilities, leveraging community health services. Partner countries also reported that thermal ablation is easier to procure than cryotherapy as it requires coordination only with dedicated suppliers at standardized prices, rather than working with both device manufacturers and suppliers of gas cylinders (required for cryotherapy operation). Importantly, partner countries expressed that thermal ablation can be rolled out for a fraction of the cost of cryotherapy.  

The white paper shared today will help inform scale up in partner countries and roll out to additional countries.  

You can read more about the project findings here: 

Media contacts:

For more information and media requests:

Regan Lachapelle, Communications Director, CHAI, rlachapelle@clintonhealthaccess.org 

Maggie Zander, Communications Officer, +41 79 593 17 74, zanderm@unitaid.who.int 

World Chagas Day: Unitaid remains committed to improving access to testing and treatment to reduce mother-to-child transmission of Chagas  

Geneva – Up to seven million people worldwide are estimated to be infected with a disease that often presents no symptoms but can be life-threatening when left untreated. 

World Chagas Day, 14 April, raises awareness of this neglected disease, for which fewer than 10% of all those affected get diagnosed and only 1% receive appropriate care. 

Often referred to as a “silent disease” because it causes no or few symptoms, the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the critical need for increased screening, the lack of which poses a significant barrier to care for the 75 million people estimated to be at risk of infection.  

In Latin America, where it is endemic, Chagas disease causes more deaths each year than any other parasitic disease including malaria. Many of those at highest risk are among the poorest and most marginalized populations.   

Chagas disease is caused by the Trypanosoma crusi parasite, which is transmitted to humans through a bite from the triatomine insect, also known as the kissing bug. It can then be passed congenitally from mother to child, or through blood transfusion or organ donation. 

With more than a million women of childbearing age estimated to be infected with Chagas disease, preventing mother to child transmission is critical to slowing the spread of disease and averting illness. 

Global health agency Unitaid, jointly with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, has committed to improve access to affordable point-of-care tests, better treatment and comprehensive care for women and their infants. 

With systematic screening of women and babies, this work can substantially limit transmission and reduce the number of new infections each year, helping to avert more serious and costly health consequences later in life. 

In 30% of all people chronically infected, Chagas disease causes severe heart and gastrointestinal complications including stroke, heart attack and sudden death when left untreated. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) estimates that Chagas disease accounts for more than US$600 million in healthcare-related costs each year. 

Unitaid’s efforts, underway in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia and Paraguay, seek to demonstrate new approaches to testing, treatment and care for Chagas disease that will generate valuable evidence to facilitate the adoption of feasible and cost-effective health strategies for combatting Chagas disease across the region and globally. 

While most cases still occur in Latin America, the disease is increasingly spreading to other geographies. People have now been diagnosed with Chagas disease in 44 countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Media contact:

For more information and media requests:

Maggie Zander

Communications officer

M: +41 79 593 17 74

zanderm@unitaid.who.int

Multipurpose prevention technologies: Technology landscape and potential for low- and middle-income countries

GAVI, Unitaid and the Global Fund welcome WHO recommendation for world’s first malaria vaccine

  • WHO recommendation for wider use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine is largely based on data gathered during malaria vaccine pilots which took place in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi
  • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and global health agency Unitaid have together committed nearly US$ 70 million to fund the pilots
  • Following the WHO recommendation, global stakeholders, including Gavi, will consider whether and how to finance a new malaria vaccination programme

Geneva, 6 October 2021 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, global health agency Unitaid and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcome the WHO recommendation for wider routine use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine. The recommendation is based on data gathered through the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) which took place in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi over a two-year period and a clinical trial around the seasonal delivery of the vaccine in Mali and Burkina Faso, countries that experience high seasonal variation in malaria transmission.

The RTS,S pilots achieved and maintained good coverage levels, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As of September 2021, over two years after the start of vaccinations, more than 2.3 million RTS,S doses have been administered across the three countries and more than 800,000 children have been reached with at least one dose of the vaccine. The pilots provided an opportunity to evaluate the feasibility of delivering four doses of RTS,S in real-life settings, where the vaccine was successfully rolled into existing immunisation programmes, widely accepted by both caregivers and healthcare workers, and reduced hospitalisations from severe malaria by 30%.

A further clinical trial led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine assessed the impact of seasonal delivery of the malaria vaccine alongside seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Mali and Burkina Faso, countries that experience high seasonal variation of malaria transmission. The findings indicated a decrease of more than 70% in severe malaria cases in children when the vaccine was administered in combination with preventive antimalarials.

“Today marks a historic achievement in our fight against malaria,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Malaria still kills over 250,000 children every year. The vaccine is an important additional tool to help control this disease alongside other interventions, such as bed nets, and especially when delivered seasonally in combination with antimalarial medication. I applaud the countries and communities who participated in the trials and pilots to provide this critical new tool for African countries.”

Ministries of Health led the implementation of the vaccine, which was delivered through routine immunisation programmes, with WHO playing a coordinating role, working in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline, PATH and UNICEF. Following its investment of around US$ 700 million in the development of RTS,S, GSK has donated up to 10 million doses for the pilot programme. Gavi, the Global Fund and Unitaid have together committed nearly US$ 70 million to fund the pilot, which was designed to address several outstanding questions related to the public health use of the vaccine following the Phase 3 trial showing efficacy of RTS,S.

“We welcome this new tool in the fight against malaria,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “In countries where the Global Fund invests, we have reduced malaria deaths by 45% since 2002 with testing, treatment and prevention tools such as mosquito nets. In the vaccine pilots, the RTS,S vaccine was most effective when used together with these existing tools. Significant additional resources will be necessary to enable wide deployment of the vaccine alongside other innovations, and as part of a sustained and comprehensive response in the countries that need it the most.”

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, progress against malaria was stalling,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. “This vaccine is a welcome new tool that, when used in combination with existing interventions like bed nets, has the potential to drive down malaria and extend protection to children across Africa. Pilot implementation has demonstrated how we can equitably reach children with this life-saving vaccine – now we need to ensure adequate and affordable supply to truly reignite the fight against malaria.”

The data collected through MVIP achieved similar rates of efficacy as seen in the Phase 3 clinical trial conducted from 2009 to 2014. The trial found that among children aged 5–17 months who received four doses of RTS,S, the vaccine prevented approximately 4 in 10 (39%) cases of malaria over 4 years of follow-up, and about 3 in 10 (29%) cases of severe malaria. Significant reductions were also seen in overall hospital admissions as well as in admissions due to malaria or severe anaemia. In addition, the vaccine reduced the need for blood transfusions, which are required to treat life-threatening malaria anaemia, by 29%.

Following the WHO recommendation, global stakeholders, including Gavi, will consider whether and how to finance a new malaria vaccination programme in sub-Saharan Africa. Ahead of this important decision, an innovative financing agreement between Gavi, MedAccess and GSK guarantees continued production of the RTS,S antigen for the malaria vaccine. The partnership aims to address vaccine supply challenges and reduce barriers to initial roll-out in the event that the Gavi Board makes a decision in favour of a Gavi-supported malaria vaccination programme.

The vaccine will be a complementary malaria control tool to be added to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention. This includes the routine use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying with insecticides, malaria chemoprevention strategies, and the timely use of malaria testing and treatment.

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 888 million children – and prevented more than 15 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 lower-income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation and reaching the unvaccinated children still being left behind, employing innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save millions more lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Gavi is a co-convener of COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, together with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In its role Gavi is focused on procurement and delivery for COVAX: coordinating the design, implementation and administration of the COVAX Facility and the Gavi COVAX AMC and working with its Alliance partners UNICEF and WHO, along with governments, on country readiness and delivery.

The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organizations that fund Gavi’s work here.

 

About Unitaid
Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, cheaply, and effectively, in low- and middle-income countries. Its work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.

 

About the Global Fund

The Global Fund is a worldwide movement to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. We raise and invest US$4 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice which fuels them and strengthen health systems in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries. We unite world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers and the private sector to find solutions that have the most impact, and we take them to scale worldwide. Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved 44 million lives.

Media contacts

For more information and media requests:

 

Iryna Mazur, Gavi
Mobile: +4179 429 36 71
Email: imazur@gavi.org

 

James Fulker, Gavi
Mobile: +41 79 429 55 05
Email: jfulker@gavi.org

 

Maggie Zander, Unitaid

Mobile: +41 79 593 17 74

Email: zanderm@unitaid.who.int

 

Hervé Verhoosel, Unitaid

Mobile: +44 77 29 618 634

Email: verhooselh@unitaid.who.int

 

Benjamin Szlakmann, The Global Fund

Mobile: +41 76 397 4403

Email: benjamin.szlakmann@theglobalfund.org

Innovations in paediatric medicines delivery awarded UnitaidExplore funding

  • Two new awards announced under Unitaid’s agility mechanism, UnitaidExplore; DelSiTech and FluidPharma will each receive investment for innovations to make medicines easier to give to children 
  • Latest call comes in context of Unitaid’s ground-breaking work on paediatric formulations to treat HIV, TB and malaria  
  • Children in low- and middle-income countries have lower treatment coverage and worse health outcomes than adults – a lack of paediatric formulations is a major contributing factor. 

Geneva, 4 October 2021 – Two companies developing potentially game-changing medicine delivery mechanisms for children are the latest recipients of UnitaidExplore funding. 

Finnish company DelSiTech and British enterprise FluidPharma have each been awarded funding following the latest call for applications under Unitaid’s pioneering agility mechanism.  

Children in low- and middle-income countries have lower treatment coverage and worse health outcomes than adults. A major barrier is a lack of medication that is specifically formulated for their needs. Often medicine is too bitter, difficult to swallow or not correctly dosed, making it hard for children to stay on treatment for diseases such as HIV, malaria and TB.  

The latest UnitaidExplore call specifically targeted this issue, inviting applicants to apply for funding to push forward innovation in this field. It builds on Unitaid’s significant work in the field of paediatric formulations for HIV, TB and malaria treatments, and its key role in WHO’s GAP-f network.

FluidPharma will use UnitaidExplore funding to take forward development of their MicroCoat™ technology, which utilises tiny cellulose spheres with taste-masking properties to deliver medication in a formulation that is more palatable to children. It is hoped that this technology could be used across a range of disease areas, with initial development of an artesunate/amodiaquine malaria combination therapy. 

DelSiTech’s work focuses on the development of long-acting injectables to deliver medicines to children, reducing the burden of tablets and the associated stigma with taking such medication. The technology involves the use of thin, minimally invasive needles to deliver a unique silica-based formulation via sub-cutaneous injection. The technology can be used to administer drugs that treat or prevent a wide range of conditions, while significantly extending the effective duration of the treatment from a single dose. 

Unitaid Director of Strategy Janet Ginnard said: “Innovations in medicine delivery that are specifically aimed at children are of utmost importance and we are pleased to announce this funding to DelSiTech and FluidPharma. These investments fit firmly with Unitaid’s track record in facilitating access to the best medicines for the most vulnerable people. These innovations will help ensure that children can benefit from lifesaving treatment and have the best possible health outcomes.” 

The investments from Unitaid will accelerate both companies’ paediatric delivery mechanisms, covering pre-clinical work for several different potential applications. 

Professor John Reeder from WHO’s GAP-f network said: “Unitaid’s new investments in innovative delivery approaches for children are extremely welcome, as they spark new energy and collaborations to ensure that science and innovation are at the service of those who have been too often left behind, our children.” 

Dr. Lasse Leino, Chief Executive Officer from DelSiTech said: “Alliances, such as with Unitaid, are essential to us and to healthcare organisations around the world for the realisation of our common goal, securing real advancements in global health. DelSiTech is committed to pursuing long lasting strategic partnerships, enabling us to play a role in improving treatment outcomes, now for clearly underserved children. We are thrilled to collaborate with Unitaid and are prepared to leverage the full extent of our technologies and expertise for paediatric solutions for patients, wherever they may be”. 

Dr Fang Liu from Fluid Pharma said: “We are really excited for this opportunity to join Unitaid’s excellent work in making medicines suitable for children. Applying the MicroCoatTM technology, we will develop paediatric anti-malarial treatments that are palatable, easy to swallow and stable, to improve compliance and treatment outcomes for children.” 

This announcement complements two awards given last year to the first UnitaidExplore recipients, Vayu Global Health and EPFL EssentialTech, to take forward innovations in paediatric oxygen delivery.

About Unitaid
Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, cheaply, and effectively, in low- and middle-income countries. Its work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.

Media contacts

For more information and media requests:

 

Hervé Verhoosel

Head of Communications

Unitaid, Geneva

verhooselh@unitaid.who.int

tel. +44 77 29 618 634

 

Maggie Zander

Communication Officer

Unitaid, Geneva

zanderm@unitaid.who.int

tel. +41 79 593 17 74

A new initiative will deliver enhanced malaria prevention to children under two across Africa through a WHO-recommended but under-implemented intervention

  • A safe, effective, and affordable intervention for preventing malaria in infants (IPTi), has been recommended by the WHO since 2010, yet access remains limited.
  • The initiative seeks to maximize the benefits of the antimalarial intervention by increasing the number of doses administered and extending coverage beyond the currently recommended 9 months to protect children in their first two years of life.
  • Through a country-led, co-design process, the project will develop scalable IPTi delivery models and generate compelling evidence to catalyze wide-spread roll-out of this life-saving intervention in high-burden countries across Africa. Four countries, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mozambique will initially be targeted by this initiative.

Geneva / Washington, DC, 15 September 2021 – To kick-start progress against malaria and improve child health in Africa, a new initiative, funded by Unitaid and led by Population Services International (PSI), will support widespread adoption of an effective but underutilized prevention method that could avert 6.7 million cases of malaria and anemia in children under two by 2030.

Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is a safe, affordable, and effective intervention shown to reduce rates of malaria and anemia in children under one year of age by 30 percent and 21 percent respectively. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended IPTi for use in 2010, yet the intervention has not been widely adopted in Africa.

With a US $35 million investment from Unitaid, the Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants – Plus (IPTI+) project will develop scalable models of IPTi+, an innovation on the WHO-recommended IPTi, that expands the number of preventive doses of SP administered to children and extends coverage of IPTi through a child’s second year of life. Over the life of the project, the IPTi+ project will administer an estimated 2.5 million doses of SP for IPTi+ protecting over half a million children under two years of age from malaria and anemia.

Brought to scale, IPTi+ will help reignite progress against malaria in the Africa region, where 94 percent of all malaria cases and deaths occur each year. Progress in reducing malaria rates has plateaued in recent years and the COVID-19 pandemic has caused additional setbacks and interruptions to malaria efforts across the continent.

IPTi+ targets a crucial population: children under the age of five accounted for nearly 70% of the estimated 409,000 malaria deaths globally in 2019. Children under two years of age are among the most vulnerable to malaria; half of child deaths from malaria (54%) are estimated to have occurred in children under the age of two.[1]

“We cannot afford to leave any effective tool unused in our fight against malaria, or we will see our hard-won progress slip away. Unitaid is pleased to announce this major effort to reach hundreds of thousands of young children with IPTi+ – a highly effective but greatly under-utilized intervention for malaria prevention. This latest investment rounds out Unitaid’s work to innovate on all the current antimalarial interventions and improve access we can reignite the fight against malaria and drive down the burden of disease,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid.

Widespread adoption of IPTi has faced challenges including misperceptions about the effectiveness of the recommended drug, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, a lack of evidence on its efficacy in areas of moderate to high resistance, and a lack of enabling policies. As administration of IPTi can fall within the remit of child health, malaria, and immunization programs, unclear delineation of responsibilities has also contributed to unsuccessful adoption.

The IPTI+ project will address these challenges at a country and global level to accelerate adoption and scale-up of IPTi+ with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.  At the country-level, the IPTi+ project will facilitate a country-led co-design process to design IPTi+ models specific to each country in Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mozambique. These four countries represent diverse health systems, malaria transmission, SP resistance, routine health service access, and implementation of other seasonal antimalarial interventions.

“PSI is proud to be working with the Ministries of Health in Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, and Mozambique, as well as county-level and global malaria partners, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, to accelerate adoption and scale-up of IPTi+. PSI and our partners will engage and convene communities and stakeholders to co-design country-specific IPTi+ models that overcome known barriers to uptake; shape mixed health systems to bring IPTi+ closer to Sara, PSI’s archetypal consumer, and her family; and generate evidence on the impact of IPTi+,” said Karl Hoffman, President and CEO of PSI.

To ensure scalability of the IPTi+ models being developed, Unitaid is also expanding the scope of an existing and complementary grant, implemented by the not-for-profit product development partnership Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). In addition to collaborating with the IPTi+ Project to deliver existing formulations of SP, MMV will work with selected African manufacturers to support local production of properly dosed, dispersible, and quality-assured formulations of SP that are suitable for children to future-proof supply of the medicine.

The project will collect evidence on impact, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility of IPTi+ across variable settings to inform scale-up in target countries and beyond. In addition to piloting implementation models in the four focus countries, the IPTi+ project will generate policy, economic, and suitability evidence on IPTi+ in three additional countries.

“In the past five years, annually, there have been approximately 4 million malaria cases and 400,000 hospital admissions for malaria in children under 5 years in Cameroon. To address this, we hope that introducing IPTi+, in addition to the use of long-lasting insecticide nets, will enable us to further reduce the malaria incidence and hospital admissions contributing to healthier and happier families. The National Malaria Control Program is excited to work with the IPTi+ Project and two renowned public health institutions, PSI and LSHTM, to introduce and increase access to IPTi+ and ensure accurate monitoring and evaluation of IPTi+ in Cameroon,” said Dr. Dorothy Fosah Achu, Permanent Secretary, National Malaria Control Program, the Ministry of Public Health, Cameroon.

PSI will coordinate the project co-design and implementation in collaboration with Ministries of Health and country teams. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) will lead research that will generate evidence to inform country and global-level adoption and scale-up of IPTi+.

[1] Malaria deaths among children under age 2 as a proportion of malaria deaths among children under age five estimated from Global Burden of Disease 2019 data.

About Unitaid
Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, cheaply, and effectively, in low- and middle-income countries. Its work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization. www.unitaid.org

About Population Services International (PSI)

Population Services International (PSI) is a global nonprofit organization focused on encouraging healthy behaviors and delivering affordable health products and services around the world. We bring innovation to scale through our presence in 40+ countries and a network of over 10,000 health clinics and pharmacies. PSI takes a business approach to saving lives, designing effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions to the world’s biggest challenges in healthcare.

About the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a world-leading centre for research, postgraduate studies and continuing education in public and global health. LSHTM has a strong international presence with over 3,000 staff and 4,000 students working in the UK and countries around the world, and an annual research income of £180 million. LSHTM is one of the highest-rated research institutions in the UK, is partnered with two MRC University Units in The Gambia and Uganda, and was named University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2016. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

Media contacts

Hervé Verhoosel, Unitaid, Geneva | verhooselh@unitaid.who.int | tel. +44 77 29 618 634

Maggie Zander, Unitaid, Geneva | zanderm@unitaid.who.int | tel. +41 79 593 17 74

Christine Vargas, PSI, Washington D.C. | cvargas@psi.org  | tel. +1 202 235 1875

Screening and treatment for Chagas disease – technology and market landscape

Unitaid commemorates World Chagas Day with a new initiative to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease

  • Chagas disease affects between 6 and 7 million people worldwide and kills 10,000 people annually. In Latin America, it causes more deaths than any other parasitic disease including malaria. Patients infected with Chagas disease are at risk of severe COVID-19 manifestations.
  • At least two million women of child-bearing age are estimated to be chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi ( cruzi) and 5 to 10% of pregnant women with Chagas disease will transmit the infection to their new-borns.

Geneva – Transmitted by the blood-sucking triatomine bug called Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), Chagas disease currently affects between 6 and 7 million people worldwide and kills an estimated 10,000 people annually.

In Latin America where it is endemic, Chagas causes more deaths than any other parasitic disease including malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 75 million people are at risk of infection, most of them among the poorest and most marginalized populations.

Despite high rates of morbidity and a high associated economic burden, only 7% of people with Chagas disease are diagnosed, and only 1% receive appropriate care. If left untreated, Chagas can cause serious heart and digestive complications. Patients infected with Chagas are also at risk of severe COVID-19 manifestations.

Mother-to-child transmission is a major infection route for Chagas transmission. In addition to vector control, active screening, and appropriate treatment options for women of childbearing age, their new-borns and their children could substantially limit congenital transmission and reduce the number of new infections. Importantly, early detection of infection in infants can reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths related to Chagas disease.

As this week marks the commemoration of the second edition of World Chagas Disease Day 2021 (14th of April), Unitaid and the Ministry of Health of Brazil have come together to support a new US$ 19M joint initiative to improve access to affordable point-of-care diagnostics, better treatment, and comprehensive care for women and new-borns in four endemic countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia and Paraguay.

This initiative will be conducted through a close collaboration with regional and global partners such as the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and seeks to influence other countries in Latin America and beyond.

“Chagas disease continues to generate much suffering and death for thousands of people in Latin America, especially in the poorer countries and among the most vulnerable populations,” said PAHO Director Dr. Carissa F. Etienne. “Mother-to-child transmission of Chagas can be prevented. We hope that this new global initiative will significantly advance efforts to ensure that every child in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay is born free of Chagas disease.”

According to PAHO, in Latin America alone, 1.12 million women of childbearing age are infected, and between 8,000 to 15,000 infected babies are born each year.

“At least two million women of child-bearing age are estimated to be chronically infected with Chagas disease worldwide and about 5 to 10% of pregnant women will transmit the infection to their new-borns. By making appropriate diagnostics and improved treatments available for women and their children, we can save future generations from the possible fatal consequences of this insidious disease,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Unitaid Executive Director.

The project will be implemented by a consortium of partners [1]  led by the Fundação para o Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico em Saúde/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiotec/Fiocruz) based in Brazil.

“This important announcement brings us immense satisfaction, especially during these difficult times of pandemia. It confirms Fiocruz’s commitment to make the best of use science to improve people’s health,” said Nísia Trindade Lima, President of Fiocruz. “By the end of the project, we hope to deliver a replicable and validated model, that will not only contribute to prevent the transmission of the disease but will also lay the groundwork for a new era in care for people affected by Chagas disease.”

The project will include two clinical trials. One aimed at demonstrating the relevance of a rapid diagnostic test algorithm in real-life settings and another one seeking to evaluate the effectiveness of a shorter treatment regimen. If successful, these will reduce the time between screening, diagnosis, and treatment completion.

Additional interventions will also aim at strengthening supply chains and equitable access to potential life-saving products and developing a competitive and transparent market for diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease.

The evidence generated through the project will be leveraged to facilitate the adoption of feasible and cost-effective health tools and care for Chagas disease regionally and globally.

While most cases still occur in Latin America, the disease is increasingly spreading to other geographies. Cases now appear in places such as the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia.

[1]

  • Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz)
  • Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud “Néstor Morales Villazón” (INLASA) with United Nations
  • Development Programme (UNDP) (Bolivia) acting as Administrative Agent
  • Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) (Colombia)
  • Servicio Nacional de Erradicación del Paludismo (SENEPA) with Centro de Informacion y Recursos para el Desarrollo (CIRD) (Paraguay) acting as Administrative Agent
  • Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)

Related:

Media contacts:

Maggie Zander, Unitaid, Geneva (FR/EN/ES/PT) – tel. +41 79 593 17 74, zanderm@unitaid.who.int

Hervé Verhoosel (FR/EN), Unitaid, Geneva – tel. +44 77 29 618 634, verhooselh@unitaid.who.int