Together, HFI and A-ZMed have identified an opportunity for collaboration to increase access to safe chronic disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management both in sub-Saharan Africa and globally. A-ZMed is a medicine information company based in South Africa that aims to improve medicine safety across LMICs through the supply of cost-effective, accessible digital solutions.
In September 2020, HFI formed a multi-partner collaboration with Savannah Health and IntelleHealth to increase access to the chronic disease management platform, OptimalHealth based in Kenya. The OptimalHealth platform offers end-to-end linkage between screening and patient follow-up supported by technology, which is critical to success. Improving linkage to care and enrolling patients in longitudinal disease management improves patient retention and overall health and economic outcomes. Together, HFI, Savannah Health, and IntelleHealth have identified an opportunity for collaboration to increase linkage to care and management of chronic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and globally.
HFI and the Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting (BCEPS) are working collaboratively to increase the implementation of interventions for the prevention and control of NCDs in LMICs. BCEPS is the secretariat of the Disease Control Priorities 4th edition (DCP4), which will provide a review of the most up-to-date evidence on cost-effective interventions to address the burden of disease in low-resource settings. BCEPS and HFI will collaborate on costing of NCD interventions, extended cost-effectiveness methodologies, and sharing of ideas around equity and financial protection for NCD care.
HFI and the City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/CAN) are working collaboratively to build partnerships and structure innovative finance instruments for delivering local cancer solutions. C/CAN supports cities around the world as they work to improve access to cancer care. HFI and C/CAN hope to leverage each other’s networks and expertise to increase access to high-quality, affordable cancer care.
Together, Family Health International (FHI) Partners and HFI aim to increase access to hypertension and diabetes treatment in Nigeria. FHI Partners is a subsidiary of FHI 360 and creates solutions for Foundations and Corporations seeking to expand their social impact. Through collaborative efforts, HFI and FHI Partners will catalyze and scale blended finance models that fund the integration of diabetes and hypertension prevention and care into FHI’s existing network of HIV and Primary Care programs in Nigeria.
In September 2020, HFI partnered with Roche and Vertical’s Access for Future Movement (A4F Movement). A4F Movement, an initiative connecting global partners with local communities, helps solve healthcare challenges and increase access to care. Through this partnership, HFI will help A4F Movement create a finance model to scale up healthcare initiatives, ensuring more people in LMICs can access healthcare. HFI is excited to help create innovative solutions to supply half of the world’s population with basic healthcare. Be on the lookout for exciting updates on how HFI, Roche, and Vertical are working together to combat the burden of chronic diseases.
HFI and the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship are collaborating to explore the design of innovative financing mechanisms and their application for noncommunicable diseases in South Africa. The Bertha Centre, a specialized unit of the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, invests in the next generation of social innovators through scholarships; supports practical, rigorous teaching, exposure and debate; and encourages the application of focused research to take on immediate and critical challenges to the fabric of Africa’s social and economic future. Together, HFI and the Bertha Centre hope to increase the use of innovative financing mechanisms to offer novel solutions for chronic diseases in South Africa.
HFI and JDRF International are working together to explore opportunities for collaboration and joint fundraising around type 1 diabetes (T1D) epidemiological and economic modeling. JDRF is a non-profit organization focused on accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. JDRF and HFI will collaborate to advance access to T1D resources in LMICs.
HFI secured funding from the Danish Red Cross to create the first social impact bond for T2D in Armenia. To help pave the way towards cost-effective care, HFI will work with the Danish Red Cross to review available data collection systems in Armenia; quantify the health and economic impact of the new diabetes program to identify the highest-impact interventions; and design a Social Impact Bond-type model to finance the scale-up of the program.
HFI is proud to be a member of Convergence Blended Finance. Convergence is a global network for blended finance, with a community of institutions and businesses dedicated to driving capital where it is needed most. HFI is among 200+ members working to find blended finance solutions to drive investment for global development.
HFI and the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products are pleased to announce HFI’s membership into the coalition, a global, multisectoral entity comprising government agencies, private-sector entities, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions. The Coalition, founded in 2017, is dedicated to increasing access to medicines and health products for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to reduce the impact of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. HFI looks forward to working with the Coalition membership to support health system and supply security strengthening efforts, as well as the rational use of NCD medicines and products at lower levels of care.
HFI is a formal member of The Global Diabetes Compact Forum, which was created by the WHO to share and disseminate ideas, information, and views that help advocate for the vision of the Global Diabetes Compact, namely: a world where the risk of diabetes is reduced and where all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care. The Forum encourages demand and additional resources for diabetes care, including through major advocacy events. Collaboration and cooperation between Forum members and the WHO are key purposes of the Forum.
In 2017, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the establishment of a WHO Independent Highlevel Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) as a high-level tool to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets by 2030. The Commission was charged with identifying innovative ways to curb the world’s biggest causes of death and extend life expectancy for millions of people. HFI is proud to support these efforts to accelerate action on NCDs.
The mission of the NCD Alliance is to unite and strengthen civil society to stimulate collaborative advocacy, action and accountability for NCD prevention and control. Our unique civil society network unites 2,000 organisations in more than 170 countries.
The Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, GCM/NCD, established in 2014, is the first and only WHO instrument aimed at facilitating multi stakeholder engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration to prevent and control NCDs. It convenes and connects diverse stakeholders comprising all WHO Member States, UN Organizations, and non-State actors, including relevant private sector entities, to address its five functions.
HFI joins FORESIGHT Global Health as a knowledge partner. By becoming a knowledge partner, we will join a community of like-minded organizations that will work together to further the conversations around NCDs and the NCD financing gap. Together, we will highlight the growing burden of NCDs and show how innovative finance solutions and public-private partnerships are essential to addressing the NCD financing gap. We hope engaging in these conversations will increase access to high-quality NCD prevention and treatment.
The Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge is an initiative founded by Tobacco Free Portfolios and developed in collaboration with UNEP FI, PSI, PRI, AXA, BNP Paribas, Natixis and AMP Capital. It recognizes the role the finance sector can play in addressing the tobacco epidemic and global health. As of today, the pledge has over 300 signatories.