About
UNITAID was created to bolster initiatives designed to achieve United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to child and maternal health, and combating HIV and other infectious diseases. This organization provides funding to 94 low-income countries and improves their access to affordable treatment by offsetting price reductions for life-saving medications. The recent economic crisis hampered the ability of developing countries to contribute their promised portion of official development assistance (ODA), and investment from donor countries falls short by $35 billion per year. In light of this extreme gap, Douste-Blazy and UNITAID identified alternative, sustainable sources of funding. By adding a small fee—only $2—to about 7 percent of airline tickets, UNITAID is able to raise $400 million per year, or three-quarters of UNITAIDS total funding.Given the success of UNITAID’s alternative funding, in 2008, Douste-Blazy was appointed Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Innovative Financing for Development. UNITAID shows that innovative financing for MDGs works. In his role as Special Adviser, Douste-Blazy will not only create solutions to funding problems, he will also coordinate efforts with the High-Level Group on the MDGs and liaise with UN and non-UN related institutions, such as the Bretton Woods institutions, Organization for Economic cooper and Development-Development Assistance Committee, the UN Development Group, and the Millennium Communication Campaign. Additionally, Douste-Blazy is responsible for organizing the first World Conference of Non-Governmental Donors to explore other avenues of fundraising to facilitate the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.