January - Cambodia
The Rodolphe Mérieux Laboratory at the University of Health Sciences in Cambodia gains ISO 9001:2015 certification
The Rodolphe Mérieux Laboratory at the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh, supported by the Mérieux Foundation’s Quality Initiative, has been certified according to the ISO 9001:2015.
March - Madagascar
The IDDS project in Madagascar draws to a close: a look at the highlights and prospects
This ambitious programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), led by ICF and implemented by the Madagascar’s Ministry of Public Health and the Mérieux Foundation, marked a significant step forward in the fight against infectious diseases in Madagascar.
March - Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, a study to improve diagnosis of childhood pneumonia is launched
A new project from the Mérieux Foundation aims to improve the diagnosis and management of childhood pneumonia in Bangladesh and, more broadly, in countries with limited resources.
April - Angola
The Mérieux Foundation takes part in the REDISSE IV regional project’s technical meeting in Angola
Organized by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in collaboration with the Republic of Angola, the technical meeting of the World Bank-funded REDISSE IV project’s regional steering committee took place from April 9 to 11, 2024, in Luanda (Angola).
May - International
24th Advanced Course in Vaccinology
The 24th edition of the Advanced Course in Vaccinology (ADVAC), organized jointly by the Mérieux Foundation and the University of Geneva, was held at the Les Pensières Center for Global Health from May 6 through 17, 2024, training 75 new participants in the complex challenges of vaccinology.
May - Laos
Bolilab grant: the Mérieux Foundation supports leadership training for future laboratory managers in Laos
As part of the Bolilab project, four students were granted scholarships by the Mérieux Foundation to take part in an intensive leadership course in Thailand, at Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Associated Medical Science.
July - International
The Mérieux Foundation and Epiconcept organize the second edition of EpiCourse
The second edition of the course on epidemiology in complex emergency situations took place at the Les Pensières center near Annecy in France from July 15th through 19th.
September - Cambodia
Launching Phase II of the QWArS Program: strengthening AMR surveillance and collaboration in Cambodia and Laos
The QWArS II programme was launched during an orientation workshop in Phnom Penh. This new phase will contribute to strengthening AMR surveillance and collaboration between Cambodia and Laos.
September - International
ACDx, a week of synergies devoted entirely to diagnostics
The 13th Advanced Course on Diagnostics (ACDx) was held at the Les Pensières Conference Center in Veyrier-du-Lac (France), from September 15 to 20, 2024. It was organized by the Mérieux Foundation and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
November - Madagascar
Madagascar: towards the elimination of leprosy with the National Strategic Plan 2025-2030
The Mérieux Foundation took part in a major workshop to develop Madagascar’s National Strategic Plan to Combat Leprosy and Neglected Tropical Skin Diseases.
November - France
Fruitful exchanges at the 13th International GABRIEL meeting
The 13th GABRIEL meeting was held from November 27 to 29, 2024 at Les Pensières Center for Global Health (France), bringing together over 80 representatives of the laboratories that are members of this international scientific network.
November - Senegal
French-speaking African diagnostics players gather for the fourth edition of the Afro-ACDx course
Afro-ACDx, the advanced course on diagnostics in French-speaking Africa, organized by the Mérieux Foundation and Institut Pasteur, was held for the fourth time in Somone, Senegal, from November 18 to 24, 2024.
December - France
Accelerating the fight against AMR: a conference organized jointly with the WHO to emphasize the urgency of the situation
As part of the World Health Festival and in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Mérieux Foundation organised a conference bringing together international experts to examine the objectives set by heads of state at the last United Nations Assembly on combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The Foundation’s teams continue to pursue their efforts to address the unmet needs of the most vulnerable populations in our three main areas of intervention: improving diagnostics and surveillance, contributing to the development of adapted screening tools, and taking local issues into account so that we can act effectively. This commitment involves all areas of the Foundation, targeting the strengthening of diagnostics, field research, and dissemination of knowledge. It also relies on our partnerships and connections with the local ecosystem, research institutes, companies, and relevant international organizations.
By joining the international Stop TB Partnership network at the end of 2023, the Mérieux Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to contribute to “Ending the TB epidemic by 2030”, a target that is included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to health.
In 2024, several TB control projects in Africa and Asia helped to facilitate the diagnosis and surveillance of the disease and promote scientific innovation for the benefit of as many people as possible. Through operational research projects that evaluate rapid screening tests in real-life conditions, we contribute to facilitating access to new diagnostic methods that meet the socio-economic realities of low- and middle-income countries. The APRECIT project, for example, which was concluded in 2024, focused on assessing the cost-effectiveness of several TB infection screening and management strategies in Madagascar and Cameroon. Using a similar community-based model, the Risk4Kids project, launched in 2024, is evaluating three non-invasive rapid screening solutions to facilitate the diagnosis of pediatric TB in Bangladesh.
At the same time, the Foundation supports national TB control programs in their implementation of the WHO’s recommendations. In 2024, we contributed to the publication of a WHO strategic report on the elimination of tuberculosis among refugees and migrants, a document based on the Foundation’s activities in Lebanon. Several texts published in The Union journal also highlighted the Foundation’s projects in 2024.
In line with the WHO’s recommendations, the Foundation’s work focuses on improving the management of the disease in all its forms: tuberculosis disease and tuberculosis infection (latent tuberculosis, which is a reservoir for active tuberculosis), as well as pediatric and extra-pulmonary forms of the disease, the diagnosis of which is particularly complex.
The Mérieux Foundation takes an integrated approach to tackling AMR, covering the strengthening of microbiological capacities and surveillance systems, the definition of action plans in support of health authorities, as well as the training of clinicians in good antibiotic practices. Every year since 2020, the Foundation has organized an advanced course on the fight against AMR in partnership with Paris Cité University in order to provide the keys to understanding and preventing AMR. Projects are deployed according to the One Health approach, based on the interdependence of human, veterinary, and environmental issues.
In 2024, the Foundation consolidated its expert role by renewing or developing several flagship projects supported by key partners, such as the Fleming Fund (British aid program) and the AFD (French Development Agency). These initiatives, deployed in Laos, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, focused on strengthening diagnostic capacities and contributing to the establishment of robust surveillance systems.
Key milestones were also reached during the year, such as the publication of the results of the AMR surveillance study conducted in Madagascar as part of the WHO Tricycle protocol (in The Lancet Microbe), the launch of the second phase of the QWArS project in Cambodia to strengthen the skills of human and animal health practitioners, and the establishment of an AMR data center in Madagascar and Burkina Faso, with a view to defining relevant strategic indicators to monitor the impact of public health measures.
On December 17, 2024, the Mérieux Foundation together with the WHO jointly organized a conference to review the objectives set by the heads of state at the last United Nations Assembly on the fight against AMR. Experts from the WHO, the Global Fund, the One Health Trust, the University of Lorraine, the Fleming Initiative, and the GARDP (Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership) gathered in Lyon as part of the Global Health Festival.
Acute respiratory infections, which are a public health emergency in countries with limited resources, are the subject of several projects aimed at better understanding the etiology of infections and developing prevention strategies. Our activities help to enhance patient care for populations at risk, coordinate research on the transmission of infections, and evaluate the impact of vaccination in order to make informed decisions in national health policies.
In 2024, our Acute Respiratory Infections program included the launch of a new project in Bangladesh for the national management of pediatric pneumonia. With the aim of improving primary diagnosis, as well as case management in children under five, the Pneumo-DX study started in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, where rudimentary living conditions accelerate the spread of infectious diseases, especially respiratory viruses.
2024 also saw the publication of the results of the international NOSO-COR study on the risks of nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The findings of the assessment of the impact of preventive measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon were also published in the Journal of Public Health in the United Kingdom.
“Building on our expertise in biology, we are working closely with international and local partners as part of multidisciplinary, complementary and, above all, concerted approaches with a long-term perspective.”
Alain Mérieux
To successfully carry out its development projects in LMICs and ensure they produce sustainable results, the Mérieux Foundation brings together national and international public and private partners with local organizations. The trust and commitment of its new or long-standing partners have made it possible for the Foundation to help local stakeholders in their fight against infectious diseases. The Mérieux Foundation thanks them warmly for their support.
| Assets (K€) | December 31, 2024 (Net) | December 31, 2023 (Net) |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed assets | ||
| Intangible fixed assets | 247 | 560 |
| Property, plant and equipment | 3,830 | 4 087 |
| Investments and other financial assets | 49,107 | 45,992 |
| Total | 53,157 | 50,706 |
| Current assets | ||
| Accounts receivable | 631 | 1,453 |
| Other receivables | 15,967 | 8,723 |
| Marketable securities | 40,624 | 42,440 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 10,202 | 9,849 |
| Prepaid expenses | 2,940 | 1,510 |
| Unrealized exchange losses | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 70,366 | 71,635 |
| Total Assets | 123,523 | 122,341 |
| Liabilities and fund balance (K€) |
December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Fund balance | ||
| True endowment | 68,216 | 68,216 |
| Reserves | 884 | 884 |
| Retained earnings | 18,078 | 15,640 |
| Net income / loss for the period | 563 | 2,438 |
| Other endowment | 7 | 7 |
| Total | 87,748 | 87,185 |
| Quasi endowment | ||
| Allowence for contigencies | 121 | 180 |
| Funds reserved for future engagements | 2,980 | 1,473 |
| Total | 3,102 | 1,653 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Loans | 5,027 | 6,051 |
| Accounts payable | 2,756 | 1,937 |
| Tax and social debts | 1,937 | 1,713 |
| Investment payable | – | – |
| Other payable | 3,201 | 1,284 |
| Deferred income | 19,736 | 16,795 |
| Unrealized exchange gains | 16 | – |
| Total | 32,673 | 27,781 |
| Liabilities and fund balance | 123,523 | 116,619 |
| (K€) | Actual 2024 | Actual 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Services revenue | 808 | 1,044 |
| Income from third-party funders | 20,314 | 20,072 |
| Expenses refund | 620 | 593 |
| Other operating income | 45 | 56 |
| Total income | 21,787 | 21,764 |
| Expenses | ||
| External purchases and expenses | 11,116 | 13,128 |
| Financial aid | 4,391 | 4,780 |
| Taxes and duties | 850 | 787 |
| Salaries and social contributions | 7,133 | 6,651 |
| Depreciations | 806 | 797 |
| Dedicated funds carried over | 1,507 | -727 |
| Other operating income | 215 | 253 |
| Total expenses | 26,019 | 25,668 |
| Operating results | -4,232 | -3,904 |
| Financial income | ||
| Dividends | 942 | 887 |
| Other financial income | 2,741 | 2,568 |
| Reverse on financial allowances | 344 | 104 |
| Net income from marketable securities | 2,343 | 4,028 |
| Total financial income | 6,370 | 7,587 |
| Financial expenses | ||
| Financial allowances | 1,364 | 950 |
| Other financial expenses | 264 | 235 |
| Total financial expenses | 1,628 | 1,185 |
| Financial results | 4,742 | 6,402 |
| Exceptional income | ||
| Exceptional income | 4 | – |
| Exceptional reverse in allowances | 56 | – |
| Total exceptional income | 60 | 0 |
| Exceptional costs | ||
| Exceptional expenses | 6 | 60 |
| Exceptional allowances for contingencies | – | – |
| Total exceptional costs | 6 | 60 |
| Exceptional result | 53 | -60 |
| Income tax | – | – |
| Total income | 28,216 | 29,351 |
| Total expenses | 27,653 | 26,913 |
| Intermediate balance | 563 | 2,438 |
| Africa | 31% |
| Asia | 20% |
| Europe* | 20% |
| International | 12% |
| Dominican Republic & Haiti | 6% |
| Madagascar | 6% |
| Middle East | 4% |
| South America | 1% |
*Activities carried out by teams based in Europe, in or for the other countries (including coordination)
| Diagnostics Health systems | 63% |
| Mother & children | 16% |
| Applied research | 10% |
| Knowledge sharing | 11% |
| Sponsorship | 42% |
| Public partnerships | 22% |
| Financial products & real estate income | 19% |
| Other private partnerships | 17% |
158 employees worldwide**
*Full-time equivalents
**Excluding interns, temporary employees (155 full-time equivalents)
Gender equality index for the year 2024, France: 89/100
Dowload the statutory auditor’s report on the financial statements (in French)
For the year ending December 31, 2024