Launched on April 2nd, 2020, the United against Covid-19 program raised more than 444 million reais up to the end of the first quarter of 2021. Donations came from 766 people and 110 institutions all over the world and their goal is to boost Fiocruz actions in the fight against Covid-19.

Government and private companies participating in the program financed projects in 49 different work plans, divided into the areas of production of diagnostic kits; assistance to patients; medication production; staff training; community mobilization and support; reliable communication; research applied on solutions for understanding Covid-19.

The consortium made up by these companies made it possible to produce a vaccine against the coronavirus in a ratio compatible with the demand expected from the Unified Health System (SUS) and the Complementary Health System. Ambev, a Brazilian company in the beverages sector, contributed with the processes of acquisition and hiring, helping Fiocruz and Fiotec gain negotiation power and speed.

In one of the partnerships, which relied on 19 private companies, the program raised more than 5 million reais to acquire five oxygen plants to fight the oxygen supply crisis in the state of Amazonas, in January this year. All figures are available at the Transparency Portal, on the program’s official website.

Financial Management and accountability through Fiotec

Fiotec is in charge of managing resources and accountability for the program and manages the two analysis central stations, the one in Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, , and another at the Eusébio Industrial Health Center, in the state of Ceará. In addition to the acquisition of hospital equipment and supplies used to care for patients at the Covid-19 Pandemic Hospital Center of Evandro Chagas National Infectiology Institute (INI/Fiocruz), the institution also acts in the hiring of healthcare professionals who work at the unit.

In 2020, the donations made to the program were also destined to produce the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in a partnership with AstraZeneca and to build the Hospital Center for the INI.