Three of the biggest global health funders – Novo Nordisk Foundation, Wellcome, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – have come together in a $300 million partnership aimed at addressing the interconnected impacts of climate change, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. This partnership, announced in Denmark, marks the first time these organizations have collaborated in this way, with each contributing $100 million over a three-year period.
The focus of this joint initiative is on developing affordable solutions for populations in low and middle-income countries. The goal is to break down barriers between different areas of research to better understand the complex relationship between climate change, malnutrition, and infectious diseases. For example, the recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how obesity can exacerbate the severity of certain infectious diseases, while climate-related events can lead to food insecurity, making malnourished individuals more susceptible to illnesses like measles and cholera.
The partners also emphasized the importance of advances in nutritional science and gut microbiome research in understanding the impact of both over- and under-nutrition on health and development. This initiative comes at a critical time when global attention to health issues post-pandemic is waning, and there is a need to address market failures and ensure equitable access to medical innovations.
In addition to funding research projects, the partnership will provide support for researchers in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the importance of community involvement in finding effective solutions to pressing health challenges. The partners are actively seeking collaborations with private, philanthropic, and public entities to further advance their shared goals of improving global health outcomes.