Vital Strategies will soon be the official home of a new global health initiative that has been branded Resolve. The initiative aims to save 100 million lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes and to help countries close life-threatening gaps in epidemic preparedness and response.
A second component of this initiative (Resolve – To Prevent Epidemics) will help governments in low- and middle-income countries move from Joint External Evaluation (JEE) assessments to funded, implemented and sustained programs to make their countries, their regions, and the world safer from epidemics. This part of the initiative will focus on four key areas to improve capacity and preparedness: implementing and strengthening disease tracking systems, supporting laboratory networks, developing and supporting “disease detectives” and developing rapid response teams to prevent unchecked outbreaks.
Funded with US $225 million over 5 years by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Resolve will be led by Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and former commissioner of the New York City (NYC) Health Department. Vital Strategies will be expanding its team of global health experts and partners who will help implement this program and provide support and technical assistance.
