WHO and Unitaid partner to expand equitable access to lifesaving health products in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

26 November 2025, Cairo, Egypt - On 30 October 2025, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and Unitaid signed a letter of mutual understanding to continue cooperation to ensure equitable access to affordable, adapted and quality-assured health products and services for priority areas, including HIV, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, women's health - including cervical cancer - and hepatitis. Cooperation will also cover other areas of mutual interest, such as expanding the manufacturing of health products and improving access to medical oxygen.

The Regional Office-Unitaid partnership is a significant step towards strengthening equitable access to lifesaving health products and services. The collaboration will amplify technical expertise, resources and shared commitment to regional priorities, including:

access to affordable, adapted and quality-assured health products and services for the prevention and management of cervical cancer, HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), malaria and vector-borne diseases, tuberculosis and maternal health;

regional and local manufacturing of health products; and

improved access to medical oxygen for children and adults.

"Signing this Letter of Mutual Understanding is an important step in strengthening our collaboration to make life-saving health products and services accessible to everyone, everywhere, across the Eastern Mediterranean Region," said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy. "This partnership builds on a goal we deeply share: ensuring that affordable, quality-assured, and well-adapted medicines, health products, and innovative delivery mechanisms reach the people who need them most, when they need them."

"Working with WHO at regional level allows us to translate global innovation into country-level impact," said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. "Through this collaboration, we will support stronger procurement systems, more resilient supply chains and improved access to quality-assured health products - particularly for women, children and underserved populations across the Eastern Mediterranean Region."

Collaboration between the 2 organizations advances the WHO regional flagship initiative on expanding equitable access to medical products by strengthening procurement systems, supporting regional manufacturing and improving access to quality-assured essential health technologies across the Region.