Three prominent global health funders have come together in a pioneering $300 million partnership to tackle the intertwined challenges of climate change, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Wellcome, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced this research collaboration, aiming to create affordable solutions for individuals in low and middle-income countries. Each organization will invest $100 million into the initiative over three years.
The partnership seeks to break down barriers between traditionally isolated areas of research. Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, emphasized the importance of overcoming barriers between different research fields. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that obesity can exacerbate the severity of certain infectious diseases. Additionally, extreme weather events associated with climate change can lead to food insecurity, making undernourished children more susceptible to diseases such as measles and cholera. Progress in nutritional science and understanding the gut microbiome offers insights into the broader impacts of over- and under-nutrition on health and development.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation, which holds a controlling interest in the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), stressed the significance of this initiative, particularly as global health has taken a backseat post-pandemic. Wellcome's CEO, John-Arne Røttingen, highlighted the need to address market failures and demonstrate a global commitment to equitable access to medical innovations.
In addition to funding research, the partnership will support researchers in low- and middle-income countries. They are also open to collaboration with private, philanthropic, and public partners.
Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Center, emphasized the importance of community involvement in finding effective solutions to these challenges.