Treatable diseases still kill millions of people every year in less developed countries. MASSIVE GOOD, created by the Millennium Foundation, is a partnership between the travel industry and global health organisations.
Coordinated with UNITAID and its partners, the funds collected from a tiny act will be used to reinforce access to treatments against HIV, TB and malaria for the poorest people by reducing prices of quality medicines and diagnostics and speeding up their availability.
UNITAID, an innovative funding mechanism for the purchase of drugs, has been able to lower drug prices by up to 60% to support more than 70 countries.
MASSIVE GOOD
MASSIVE GOOD was launched in New York by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President Bill Clinton and is supported by Prime Ministers, Gordon Brown from the UK and Jens Stoltenberg from Norway, along with a host of other famous names from the music and entertainment industry.
“MASSIVE GOOD empowers individuals to give small amounts to make a big difference in solving global health crises,” said President Clinton. “I’m proud to be a part of its launch and I am hopeful that this model of philanthropy will serve as an example of what other industries can do to improve lives around the world.”
MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
MASSIVE GOOD is to mobilise new sources of innovative funding to achieve the three health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed by the UN in 2000: to treat and fight life-threatening diseases, including HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; to reduce childhood mortality and to improve maternal health.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown commented, “The UK invested £25 million
in UNITAID programmes last year in recognition of the vital work it
does to help fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Now is not the time
to forget our collective commitments, this is a global fight and I
remain committed to it.”
INNOVATIVE FINANCE IS CRITICAL
The Alliance is heavily involved in supporting and advocating for innovative financing mechanisms, such as the Robin Hood Tax, to meet current funding shortfalls for the MDGs.
Anton Kerr, Head of Policy at the Alliance welcomes the initiative. “We are pleased to be able to highlight MASSIVE GOOD. HIV/AIDS kills 1 person every 13 seconds. Innovative financing mechanisms are critical if we are to continue to fight HIV and to meet the other health MDGs. Just $55 can treat 1 child infected with HIV for a year. Every little really does help.”
Find out more about MASSIVE GOOD and learn how you could make a donation.
AIDS kills 1 person every 13 seconds. . . Every little really does help 