News Archive
October 2012
Medtronic Marks Anniversary of UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs with Commitment to Programs in India
In recognition of the one-year anniversary of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), Medtronic India and the Medtronic Foundation hosted an NCD roundtable in New Delhi on September 20. This meeting engaged distinguished local healthcare leaders in a consultative discussion to understand what is needed to increase access to quality NCD-related healthcare among the underserved populations in India.
Learn more about how Medtronic is expanding access to NCD care in India
In conjunction with that meeting, the Medtronic Foundation announced a five-year, $6 million (U.S.) commitment to accelerate programs in India specifically designed to expand access to care and management of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, two of the world’s leading killers. The India commitment is part of a Medtronic Foundation global health effort to expand access to NCD care for underserved communities globally through the strengthening of healthcare systems.
One year ago, Medtronic took a leadership role in private sector engagement before, during and after the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, which presented a critical opportunity for world leaders to address this global health issue. Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation supported preparation for the UN High-Level Meeting through grants to the NCD Alliance and sponsorship of conferences and sessions leading up to the event. These activities brought together stakeholders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to advance specific approaches, outcomes and solutions for chronic disease management.
Following the UN High-Level Meeting, stakeholders are recognizing the need to move from global dialogue to policy and action on national and community levels. Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are actively engaged in these efforts, as evidenced by the recent event in India. Learn more (link to Grants Review Document) about how Medtronic is expanding access to NCD care in India.
August 2012
Medtronic Foundation Grant Supports Development of National NCD Plans in Six Low-income Countries
The Medtronic Foundation recently announced a $435,000 grant to Partners in Health to work with the Rwandan Ministry of Health to establish a team of NCD experts that will assist low-income countries with strategic planning and preparation of National NCD Plans by 2013, a goal set by the United Nations following the 2011 High-Level Meeting on NCDs.
The work will build on a successful model developed by PIH and the Rwandan Ministry of Health of NCD care integration into the Rwandan primary care system.
In the first year, the team, called the NCD Synergies Unit, will assist two low-income African countries, with plans to add four more countries in the second year, including two non-African countries. Countries will be selected through an application process.
The team will work closely with ministries of health in partner countries, establishing a technical assistance curriculum, creating an online clearinghouse of tools for NCD planning and integration, and convening once a year to share best practices.
April 2012
Medtronic Foundation Launches "Save-A-Life Simulator" to Promote SCA Survival
To promote proper and timely bystander response to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the Medtronic Foundation HeartRescue Project recently launched an online "Save-A-Life Simulator."
The interactive experience provides first-person point-of-view videos that put viewers in the shoes of an everyday mall-goer who witnesses a person experiencing SCA. The "choose-your-own-adventure" style of the interactive experience allows viewers to decide the fate of the victim by making critical choices, starting with an initial decision to help the victim or ignore the situation.
A corresponding television public service announcement (PSA), titled "All Alone," has been distributed nationwide, driving viewers to HeartRescueNow.com to access the online learning tool.
Through the PSA and online experience, the HeartRescue Project is trying to instill a basic response mindset: call 911, start chest compressions immediately and use an AED if available. Research shows that communities with higher bystander CPR participation have higher SCA survival rates.
January 2012
Medtronic Latin America launches Women's Heart Disease Awareness Campaign in Brazil
What Else is Behind the Bikini? That's the question Medtronic Latin American is asking Brazilians in an initiative to address noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through a multi-faceted campaign designed to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are estimated to account for 72% of all deaths in Brazil, with cardiovascular disease claiming more lives of Brazilian women than any other disease. So Medtronic Latin America launched What Else is Behind the Bikini? to educate individuals about the importance of women's heart health and provide tools that foster conversations between women and their healthcare providers.
In March 2012, Medtronic Latin America will also feature What Else is Behind the Bikini? at an educational event as part of the campaign's efforts to engage referring physicians on the issue.
December 2011
Commitment to One Million Health Workers Challenge
According to the World Health Organization, there is a shortage of at least one million frontline health workers in the developing world. The shortage of doctors is particularly acute in areas of poverty or instability, but evidence indicates that empowering other levels of health staff – such as community health workers – to provide a wider range of health services can have a significant impact.
Launched in conjunction with the September 2011 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases, the One Million Health Workers Challenge is a collaborative effort among the United Nations and public and private sector coalitions to support training and education of frontline health workers over the next five years.
At Medtronic, our commitment to the One Million Health Workers Challenge is realized through a critical strategy of our Global NCD Initiative: Strengthening Health Systems. The Medtronic Foundation funds several projects that directly or peripherally educate, train and assist health workers in providing care, including:
- Training Module and Curricula Development (Building Training Capacity)
- Development of Toolkits and Guidelines
- Healthcare Delivery Models
- Policies and Accreditations for health workers
November 2011
Diabetes Awareness Month, World Diabetes Day Draw Attention to Global Challenge
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally, with an estimated 346 million patients worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization, people with diabetes require at least two to three times more healthcare resources than people without the disease, and diabetes care may account for up to 15 percent of national health care budgets.
In addition to increasing global access to diabetes care through innovative diabetes management technologies and support of training for healthcare professionals worldwide, Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation participate in Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day events to draw attention to this global healthcare challenge.
Learn more by listening to a podcast with Dr. Francine Kaufman, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Global Clinical Affairs for the Diabetes business of Medtronic.
September 2011
Medtronic Foundation Announces Additional Commitment to Address Noncommunicable Disease
On Sept. 14, 2011 the Medtronic Foundation announced an additional $3.4 million in grants to support international health programs specifically designed to address prevention, treatment and control of NCDs. They include:
- A $500,000, two-year grant to the Harvard School of Public Health to launch "Teaching to Transform Global Health," an ambitious initiative to develop an educational curriculum accessible to schools of public health, medicine and nursing in any country, designed to address critical public health issues, including NCDs;
- A series of grants totaling $600,000 to the World Heart Federation and seven other organizations to fund coordinated activities to promote the global prevention and control of Rheumatic Heart Disease. Grants will fund various partners in India, Africa and Latin America; and
- An additional $400,000 over the next two years to support research and training on the prevention and management of NCDs in China, India, Africa and Latin America by NCD regional centers of excellence, such as those established by UnitedHealth and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
United Nations Convenes High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Disease
In May 2010, the United Nations General Assembly issued a resolution to convene a High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) worldwide. Held September 19-20, 2011, the meeting represents a critical opportunity for world leaders to address this global health issue.
Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation actively supported preparation for the UN High-Level Meeting through grants to the NCD Alliance and sponsorship of conferences and plenary sessions leading up to the meeting. These events brought together stakeholders from academia, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to recommend specific outcomes and solutions to chronic disease management.
The urgency of the global challenge presents a distinct opportunity for Medtronic to fulfill its Mission to contribute to human welfare by alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life. With expertise in treating a range of chronic illnesses – including heart disease and diabetes, two of the four leading NCDs globally – we are leveraging both corporate and philanthropic assets to achieve a meaningful impact.
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