First Minister has pledged up to £2.5 million
over the next five years to the Health4Life Fund – which supports
global action and progress on the prevention of non-communicable
diseases such as heart attacks, strokes and cancers. The fund is
coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The investment will be announced at an event at the UN General
Assembly, and will help drive Global South-led action to support
countries to build stronger health systems by tackling
non-communicable diseases, which continues to be a leading
cause of death and disability globally.
The WHO invited Scotland to become the first high-income donor to
the Health4Life fund following our collaboration with Global
South partners on tackling non-communicable diseases as outlined
in 2023-24 Programme for Government.
The First Minister will also meet the Director General of the
World Health Organisation Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in New
York. This is the first time a WHO Director General has met with
a First Minister of Scotland.
First Minister said:
“This is a significant step which cements Scotland’s role as a
global champion in tackling non-communicable diseases, and
highlights the important contribution we can make when it comes
to tackling health emergencies across the world.
“I am very proud to be able to announce our plans to become the
first high-income country to contribute to the World Health
Organisation’s Health4Life Fund. This investment will allow us to
support the development of new programmes to improve healthcare
and build stronger health systems in Malawi, Zambia, and Rwanda.
“The WHO predicts that by 2030 non-communicable diseases – such
as heart attacks, strokes and cancers - will be the primary cause
of death across sub-Saharan Africa, with around 3.8 million
premature deaths.
“Scotland has longstanding expertise in delivering action to
tackle non-communicable disease domestically, which is why are
well placed to share learning beyond our borders and with
partners like the WHO.
“The funding that I am confirming today makes Scotland the first
high-income country to support the vital Health4Llife fund - but
I very much hope that we will not be the last.”
Background
Health4Life Fund
Programme for Government 2023 to
2024
Funding will be drawn from £11.5 million international
development fund.
Scottish Government funding will support the catalysing of
national, regional and global action in Scotland’s partner
counties to:
- encourage other partners to join together and invest
resources into global efforts to tackle and prevent
non-communicable diseases.
- look at ways to scale up interventions to tackle
non-communicable disease in line with the WHO ‘best buys’ - a
specific set of recommendations that have been shown to be most
successful and cost-effective in addressing these diseases
- support delivery of the WHO strategy (or ‘Best Buys’) on
non-communicable diseases.
- better coordinate and deconflict activity across the
non-communicable diseases landscape
- expand equitable access to safe and quality care to better
support the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases
in low-and middle-income countries
The Scottish Government’s partner countries are Malawi, Rwanda,
Zambia and Pakistan.
Africa CDC Non
Communicable Diseases, Injuries Prevention and Control and Mental
Health Promotion Strategy (2022-26)
Tackling NCDs: 'best buys' and
other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of
noncommunicable diseases
