Publish Date : 24-Nov-2014
Today, the Novartis Foundation, formerly named the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, convenes its annual symposium. This year's topic - "Sustainable healthcare interventions: from blueprint to lasting impact" - brings together philanthropists, local partners and innovators to explore the journey from idea generation and pilot projects to the realization of scalable and sustainable healthcare systems that improve outcomes for patients in low- and middle-income countries.
"We are at a tipping point in global health where we see a critical lack of investment in healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries, while at the same time the rapid expansion of connectivity and use of mobile health technologies in these same geographies allows for significant expansion of patient reach through innovation," said Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation and moderator of the symposium. "Today we will see a glimpse of how strong partnerships and innovative service delivery models are pushing the situation in the direction of stronger, sustainable health services that enhance access to quality care."
The event kicks off with examples that illustrate the importance of measurement, policy, innovation and local partnerships to set the stage for scalable and sustainable healthcare solutions. Zia Khan, Rockefeller Foundation, discusses how strategic philanthropy can drive impact and scale. Hassan Mshinda, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, reviews the inclusion of science, technology and public-private partnerships for innovation in Tanzania. Krishna Udayakumar, International Partnership for Innovative Healthcare Delivery, presents improvement to quality affordable healthcare through innovation.
"While important, ideas and data alone won't solve our most difficult healthcare problems. To ensure lasting impact, we need to bundle different kinds of innovations into solutions that government, the private sector, and citizens can help scale up - then get down to the important work implementing with, and listening to, the local communities we set out to serve in the first place," said Zia Khan, Vice President for Initiatives and Strategy at the Rockefeller Foundation.
The journey continues with highlights of several Novartis Foundation-supported interventions at various stages of development, from a healthcare worker training center in Tanzania on the verge of becoming a social enterprise to a leprosy detection application still in the concept stage. Senga Pemba, Director, Tanzania Training Centre for International Health (TTCIH), speaks about the positive impact of the development of local talent. This autonomous center in rural Tanzania, which supplies much needed training, services and facilities for the development of skilled health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.
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