HEALTH & MEDICAL : View Posts

DUBLIN, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2024 — Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) today announced progress on the company’s ongoing business and portfolio review, including an updated enterprise operating and segment reporting structure, and an update to its fiscal year 2024 non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) outlook. These updates build upon the company’s momentum, focus on long-term value creation, and continued actions to become more streamlined and focused. The company will host an analyst conference call today beginning at 8:30 a.m. E.T. where management will further discuss these announcements.

“We are excited to demonstrate further progress on how we are driving our company, and healthcare, forward,” said Jason Hollar CEO of Cardinal Health. “As we continue down the path of becoming a simplified and more focused company, these actions align with our operational focus on the core of our business, provide increased visibility to key growth areas, and enable greater efficiencies across all our businesses. We continue to prioritize focused execution to best serve our customers and advance our mission as healthcare’s most trusted partner.”

Business and portfolio review update

While Cardinal Health’s business and portfolio review efforts remain active and ongoing, the company has completed a review of its growth businesses within the Medical Segment, at-Home Solutions and OptiFreight® Logistics, and has determined that investing in and further developing these businesses will drive the most significant long-term shareholder value creation for Cardinal Health. This conclusion follows the June 2023 announcement that the business review determined that Cardinal Health would retain and invest in its attractive Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions business.

Cardinal Health’s at-Home Solutions business, a $2.6B revenue leading home healthcare medical supplies provider serving people with chronic and serious health conditions in the United States, is well-positioned to continue to accelerate in the coming years with industry trends of care shifting to the home. To support increased demand, the company is investing in network expansion, and today, is announcing plans to build a new distribution center in Texas, with increased capacity, advanced automation and robotics within the facility. This is in addition to the recently opened site in Ohio, and the previously announced expansion in South Carolina set to open this calendar year.

Cardinal Health’s OptiFreight® Logistics, a $250M revenue leading provider of healthcare logistics, manages over 21 million shipments annually to 22,000 healthcare provider shipping locations across the continuum of care. Powered by its proprietary technology and team’s deep expertise, the business has a strong operational track record of profitable growth over many years. To sustain the business’ strong performance, the company continues to invest in innovative and technology-driven solutions such as TotalVue™ Insights that enable healthcare supply chain leaders to optimize their transportation and logistics processes and control shipping spend.

Cardinal Health’s review of its Global Medical Products and Distribution business continues, with a focus on executing the Medical Improvement Plan, which remains a critical priority for the enterprise. The company is continuing to drive ongoing initiatives and invest in the business to support customers’ needs and achieve its long-term target.

Operating and segment reporting structure update

The company also announced plans to realign its business to increase its focus on the core and accelerate its growth areas.

Effective January 1, 2024, the company began operating under an updated enterprise operating and segment reporting structure, which includes two reportable segments Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions and Global Medical Products and Distribution (GMPD). Separate from these two segments, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions, at-Home Solutions and OptiFreight® Logistics will be reported as Other1.

The Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions Segment, previously in the Pharmaceutical Segment, continues under the leadership of Debbie Weitzman. The segment consists of the company’s largest and most significant businesses, its resilient Pharmaceutical Distribution business and its higher-growth Specialty business, including both downstream Specialty Distribution and upstream Manufacturer Services. Weitzman will continue to report directly to Jason Hollar.

The GMPD segment, previously in the Medical Segment, continues to be led by Steve Mason. The segment consists of the company’s U.S. and International Products and Distribution businesses, as well as its WaveMark business. Mason will report directly to Jason Hollar and continue to have a pivotal role in driving the success of the Medical Improvement Plan.

Other consists of at-Home Solutions and OptiFreight® Logistics from the former Medical Segment, and Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions from the former Pharmaceutical Segment. Each of these businesses will continue to operate independently and each of the business leaders, Rob Schlissberg, at-Home Solutions; Emily Gallo, OptiFreight® Logistics; and Mike Pintek, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions, will now report directly to Jason Hollar. This updated operating structure is designed to provide greater visibility to the performance of these businesses and allow prioritization of investments to ensure their long-term success.

The company plans to report its second quarter fiscal 2024 results on February 1, 2024, according to its former reporting segments and will then report its third quarter fiscal 2024 results and forward on the basis of its updated structure.

Fiscal 24 outlook update

The company updated fiscal year 2024 non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance to the high end of its $6.75 to $7.00 range.

This update is driven by anticipated favorability in fiscal 24 Interest and Other and Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding, due to continued strong cash flow generation, resulting in higher-than-expected cash balances, and the execution of a new $250M accelerated share repurchase program in the second quarter.

The company also provided an update to its previous expectations for second quarter Medical segment profit. While utilization trends, including Cardinal Health™ Brand volumes, and inflation mitigation efforts have trended according to the company’s expectations in the GMPD business, the company now anticipates second quarter Medical segment profit to be generally consistent with first quarter Medical segment profit, due to anticipated non-recurring adjustments in the second quarter. These anticipated non-recurring adjustments do not affect the company’s progression towards its previously-communicated fiscal 26 targets.

The company will provide further updates and details on its fiscal second quarter results and its fiscal 24 guidance during its second quarter earnings call, on February 1, 2024.

Long-term financial targets

The company reiterated its long-term financial targets reflecting 12% to 14% growth of non-GAAP diluted EPS2.

The company also provided pro-forma long-term targets for its updated segment reporting structure, and, for information purposes, recast its fiscal 2023 actuals on the same basis3.

The company’s previously announced Medical Improvement Plan targeting at least $650M of segment profit by fiscal 26 continues, with elements of that plan to reside in the results of both GMPD and Other.

FY23 Actuals3

Long-term Target

Businesses

Pharmaceutical and
Specialty Solutions

Revenue:

~$188.8B

Segment Profit:

~1.87B

4-6%

Segment Profit CAGR2

Former Pharmaceutical Segment, excluding Nuclear
and Precision Health Solutions

GMPD

Revenue:

~$12.1B

Segment Profit:

~$(165)M

~$300 million

in Segment Profit by FY26

Former Medical Segment, excluding at-Home Solutions
and OptiFreight® Logistics

Other

Revenue:

~$4.1B

Segment Profit:

~$410M

8-10%

Segment Profit CAGR2

at-Home Solutions, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions
and OptiFreight® Logistics

The company does not provide forward-looking guidance on a GAAP basis as certain financial information, the probable significance of which cannot be determined, is not available and cannot be reasonably estimated. See “Forward-Looking Non-GAAP Measures” below for additional explanation.

Analyst Conference Call and Webcasted Investor Events

The company will hold an analyst conference call, which will be webcast, to discuss today’s announcements prior to the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.

Additionally, the company plans to present at the 42nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference today beginning at 5:15 p.m. Eastern.

To access the webcasts and corresponding presentations, visit Cardinal Health’s Investor Relations page. No access code is required. Presentation slides and a webcast replay will be available on the Investor Relations page for 12 months.

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for healthcare facilities. With more than 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 48,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

Contacts

Media: Erich Timmerman, erich.timmerman@cardinalhealth.com and 614.757.8231

Investors: Matt Sims, matt.sims@cardinalhealth.com and 614.553.3661

1 Other includes the following three operating segments: at-Home Solutions, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions and OptiFreight® Logistics, which are not significant enough individually to require reportable segment disclosure.
2 FY24 to FY26 CAGR, as of FY23 baseline.
3 Recast FY23 actuals for updated segment reporting structure are considered preliminary and pending a final recast of segment results that is expected to be completed by the company’s Q3 FY24 earnings release. The sum of the components may reflect rounding adjustments.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements addressing expectations, prospects, estimates and other matters that are dependent upon future events or developments. These statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “continue,” “likely,” and similar expressions, and include statements reflecting future results or guidance, statements of outlook, preliminary recast fiscal 2023 results and various accruals and estimates. These matters are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. These risks and uncertainties include risks arising from ongoing inflationary pressures, including the risk that our plans to mitigate such effects may not be as successful as we anticipate or that costs could remain elevated; the possibility that our Medical unit goodwill could be further impaired due to additional changes to our long-term financial plan, increases in global interest rates or unfavorable changes in the U.S. statutory tax rate; risks associated with our ongoing review of our operations, portfolio and businesses, including the risk that our management team could become distracted or that the outcome of such review may have unintended consequences; competitive pressures in Cardinal Health’s various lines of business, including the risk that customers may reduce purchases made under their contracts with us or terminate or not renew their contracts; the performance of our generics program, including the amount or rate of generic deflation and our ability to offset generic deflation and maintain other financial and strategic benefits through our generic sourcing venture or other components of our generics programs; ongoing risks associated with the distribution of opioids, including the financial impact associated with the settlements with governmental authorities and the risk that challenges to tax deductions for opioid-related losses could adversely impact our financial results; risks arising from the Department of Justice investigation which we believe concerns our anti-diversion program and risks associated with the injunctive relief requirements under the national settlement, including the risk that we may incur higher costs or operational challenges in the implementation and maintenance of the required changes; risks associated with the manufacture and sourcing of certain products, including risks related to our ability and the ability of third-party manufacturers to import or export certain products or component parts and to comply with applicable regulations; our ability to manage uncertainties associated with the pricing of branded pharmaceuticals; uncertainties related to the timing, magnitude and profit impact of the distribution of recently commercially available COVID-19 vaccines; risks associated with business process initiatives, such as the Medical Improvement Plan, including the possibility that they could fail to achieve the intended results; and the risk that we may not realize the anticipated benefits related to our updated operating and segment reporting structure. Cardinal Health is subject to additional risks and uncertainties described in Cardinal Health’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports and exhibits to those reports. This news release reflects management’s views as of January 9, 2024. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Cardinal Health undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are aspirational and not guarantees or promises that goals, targets or projections will be met, and no assurance can be given that any commitment, expectation, initiative or plan in this news release can or will be achieved or completed.

Forward Looking Non-GAAP Measures

In this news release, the company presents certain forward-looking non-GAAP metrics. The company does not provide outlook on a GAAP basis because the items that the company excludes from GAAP to calculate the comparable non-GAAP measure can be dependent on future events that are less capable of being controlled or reliably predicted by management and are not part of the company’s routine operating activities. Additionally, management does not forecast many of the excluded items for internal use and therefore cannot create or rely on outlook done on a GAAP basis.

The occurrence, timing and amount of any of the items excluded from GAAP to calculate non-GAAP could significantly impact the company’s fiscal 2024 GAAP results. Over the past five fiscal years, the excluded items have impacted the company’s EPS from $0.75 to $18.06, which includes a $17.54 charge related to the opioid litigation the company recognized in fiscal 2020.

Definitions

Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Cardinal Health, Inc.: net earnings attributable to Cardinal Health, Inc. excluding (1) LIFO charges/(credits), (2) state opioid assessment related to prior fiscal years, (3) shareholder cooperation agreement costs, (4) restructuring and employee severance, (5) amortization and other acquisition-related costs, (6) impairments and (gain)/loss on disposal of assets, net, (7) litigation (recoveries)/charges, net and (8) loss on early extinguishment of debt.

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share attributable to Cardinal Health, Inc.: non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Cardinal Health, Inc. divided by diluted weighted-average shares outstanding.

SOURCE Cardinal Health, Inc.

Optum Rx, a pharmacy care services company, has launched Optum Rx Weight Engage, a comprehensive weight management and wellness support program. Optum Rx Weight Engage will be available to consumers of plan sponsors, including employers, beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

Optum Rx Weight Engage is designed to support employers, health plans and the consumers for whom they provide benefits with a comprehensive approach to drive better health outcomes and manage coverages. This includes improving overall affordability, including that of weight loss medications, which for some classes, drug manufacturer pricing now exceeds $10,000 per year.

“Optum Rx Weight Engage offers clinically appropriate programs that support wellness and better health for consumers and solutions to help clients manage drug spending,” said Dr. Patrick Conway, CEO, Optum Rx. “We will continue our work to lower drug costs while also helping our clients manage an important population need and consumer demand with comprehensive solutions.”

Programming starts with a review of client coverage goals to tailor programs that combine clinical and provider network solutions with patient monitoring, motivation and support tools. A provider-guided program will connect the consumer with an obesity management specialist to provide a path to clinically appropriate treatment. A consumer-driven program provides a live and interactive coaching program, enrolling the patient into wellness support with a health coach in conjunction with weight loss goal achievement.

Clients have the flexibility to configure elements that best fit their and their consumers’ needs. Consumers may access different components of the program based on their preferences, such as using a live coach or going through a digital platform.

Key to this program is supporting the consumer with navigation through their specific benefit coverage, with a specialized provider network to address clinical questions and needs, and easy-to-access coaching and lifestyle programs. These elements are integral to the new obesity management program and will support future programs to assist clients and consumers with medication and health care management. Optum, with pharmacy, health, and data and analytic solutions, is uniquely positioned to provide these comprehensive solutions to its clients.

Optum Rx Weight Engage underscores the company’s commitment to actions that create greater value in pharmacy services for stakeholders across health care, including pharmacy, plan sponsors and clients, and members and patients. Those actions include:

Beginning January 2024, Optum Rx will move several preferred rapid-, short- and long-acting insulins to tier one, or “preferred status,” on its standard commercial formulary offerings.
This year, Optum Rx was the first PBM to add Humira biosimilars to its standard formulary and, on July 1, added the first interchangeable and high-concentration treatments, including all list price options.
In January, Optum Rx launched Price Edge, a consumer tool that ensures members always get the lowest available prescription drug price.
Earlier this year, Optum Rx introduced expanded client solutions that enable choice and drive transparency and affordability in pharmacy benefits for employer, union and health plan customers it serves.
Optum Rx also recently announced community and independent pharmacy initiatives to reduce administrative burdens, improve patient health outcomes, ensure accurate and timely payment to pharmacies and offer enhanced reimbursement opportunities to pharmacists that support patient care.

About Optum Rx
Optum Rx, UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) pharmacy care business, is a pharmacy care business providing people with more affordable access to prescription medications and therapies. This strategy has proven to lower costs for clients and members, improve quality of care and enhance the member experience. Powered by deep clinical expertise and integrated data and analytics, our full-spectrum pharmacy services simplify how consumers, clients and partners navigate the pharmacy space to deliver improved experiences, better health outcomes and a lower total cost of care. Optum Rx is part of Optum, a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. For more information, visit optum.com/optumrx or follow Optum Rx on LinkedIn.

On the first-ever Health Day at a COP, more than 40 million health professionals from around the globe joined the call to action by the World Health Organization (WHO) and civil society organizations, to prioritize health in climate negotiations at COP28.

Climate inaction is costing lives and impacting health every single day. Health workers demand an immediate and bold action to phase out fossil fuels, transition to clean energy, build resilience and to support people and communities most vulnerable to impacts of the changing climate. They press for no more delays, no more excuses; urging action and justice now, for a healthy future for all.

“In the face of the urgent challenges posed by health and climate change, health professionals stand united in every effort to improve health outcomes and address the climate crises,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization. “This inspires us all to contribute to a healthier, more resilient world for generations to come.”

The year 2023 has witnessed an alarming surge in climate-related disasters, including wildfires, heatwaves and droughts, leading to the displacement of populations, agricultural losses and heightened air pollution. The ongoing climate crisis has significantly increased the risk of life-threatening diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue.

Unprecedented global health mobilization at COP28

WHO and the over 40 million health professionals call on governments to meet the commitments they have already made, deliver on the Paris Agreement, accelerate the phasing out of fossil fuels and to raise their ambition for a healthier, fairer and greener future for humanity.

Strong and resilient health systems are indispensable to protecting the population from the negative impacts of climate change on their health. Building climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems as protection for current and future lives must be seen as one of the priorities in local, national and global climate action and financing.

Health Ministers from around the world endorsed the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, supported by 120 countries. This highlights the severe health implications of climate change, emphasizes the critical role of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and underscores the urgent need to work collaboratively to confront the connections between climate change and health. It reflects a shared understanding of the urgency of climate action for health and raises hope of a greater global commitment to a healthier and more resilient future for all.

The urgency of financing climate-resilient health systems

The commitment to a healthier planet requires a commitment to financing mechanisms that support climate-resilient health systems and sustainable initiatives. It is critical to discuss the urgency of action but also ensure that financial commitments match the scale of the challenge.

Currently receiving a mere 0.5% of global climate financing, the health sector demands a substantial increase in resources. Boosting financial support is not just warranted but essential to effectively tackle ongoing health crises and an evolving global health landscape.

With the health sector facing unprecedented challenges, urgent action is needed to bridge the stark financial gap. By multiplying funding, we strengthen the sector’s capacity to innovate, adapt and deliver optimal care, ensuring a resilient healthcare infrastructure for today’s challenges and the uncertainties of tomorrow.

WHO’s commitment on climate and health

WHO welcomes the efforts of the COP28 Presidency to highlight the health emergency and provide a high-level platform for climate and health at this conference, including though the inaugural Health Day, and the climate and health ministerial. WHO is dedicated to working alongside partners and donors to ensure effective implementation of priorities outlined in the declaration.

The WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) is a global platform that brings together the more than 75 countries that have committed to initiatives on climate resilient and low carbon sustainable health systems (promoted by the United Kingdom as President of COP26), along with partners, bilateral donors and researchers. WHO will ensure that ATACH embraces the priorities included in the declaration and supports its effective implementation.

Furthermore, WHO commits to strengthening its climate change and health portfolio by integrating climate change as a priority for all WHO programmes through its core functions of leadership, evidence and, most importantly, country implementation.

WHO affirms its commitment to global health and climate action, pledging its support to ministries of health worldwide.

Geneva, 03 November: The World Health Organization (WHO) calls on world leaders to increase political commitment and action to invest in the “One Health” approach to prevent and tackle common threats affecting the health and well-being of humans, animals, plants and environment together.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today announced two awards totaling $2 million under the Leading Edge Acceleration Projects in Health Information Technology (LEAP in Health IT) funding opportunity. LEAP in Health IT awardees seek to create methods and tools to improve care delivery, advance research capabilities, and address emerging challenges related to interoperable health IT.

The 2023 Special Emphasis Notice, released in April 2023, sought applications for two areas of interest: (1) exploring the use of advanced Health Level Seven (HL7®) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®) capabilities; (2) identifying data quality improvements for United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) data elements.

“We are eager to see these new awardees get started and what they can do leveraging FHIR and USCDI,” said Steve Posnack, deputy national coordinator for health information technology.

The 2023 LEAP awardees are:

Area 1: Exploring the Use of Advanced Fast Health Care Interoperability Resources (FHIR®) Capabilities

Awardee: Western New York Clinical Information Exchange, Inc. DBA HEALTHeLINK, a collaboration among hospitals, physicians, health plans and other health care providers in the eight counties of western New York to securely exchange clinical information to improve the quality of care, enhance patient safety and mitigate health care costs. HEALTHeLINK, a not-for-profit organization, is the Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) for western New York. |

Project: Advanced FHIR Capabilities for Advance Care Planning Use Cases to Improve Patient Care

Overview: HEALTHeLINK seeks to demonstrate advanced FHIR capabilities to solve the complex problem of having advance care planning documents aggregated from disparate sources so they are accessible electronically at the point care. HEALTHeLINK will demonstrate benefits from the use of the advanced FHIR features, software development using open-source code, implementation, testing, and piloting under real-world conditions. Efforts will accelerate the adoption of advanced FHIR by illustrating the value of the health information exchange (HIE) for solving complex problems in health care interoperability.

Objectives:

Demonstrate advanced FHIR for the onboarding use case to aggregate advance directive (AD) metadata and PDFs from primary care practices and hospitals via electronic health record (EHR) vendors.
Demonstrate advanced FHIR for the HIE/interoperability use case.
Demonstrate advanced FHIR real time query by adding AD data sources, such as eMOLST (NY repository) and My Directives (national repository).
Demonstrate advanced SMART on FHIR app and FHIR application programming interface (API) endpoint use case with primary care providers, hospitals, hospices, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.
Demonstrate advanced FHIR real time trigger and real time query for emergency departments, pre-visit planning, and AD use cases.
Develop HIE AD data analytics and reporting for population health activities, research, and targeted community education to increase AD use and reduce disparities.
Area 2: Identifying Data Quality Improvements for USCDI Data Elements

Awardee: The Children’s Hospital Corporation DBA Boston Children’s Hospital, one of the largest, most comprehensive medical centers for pediatric health in the U.S.

Project: CumulusQ: an open-source platform for improving FHIR data quality across the ecosystem.

Overview: The CumulusQ project seeks to cultivate an interoperable health IT ecosystem that enables easy access to high-quality, standardized healthcare data, with a particular focus on the USCDI in FHIR format.

Objectives:

Formulate and implement an iterative process to comprehend and assess the quality of both structured and unstructured USCDI elements
Materialize the iterative process from Objective 1 into an easily deployable, open-source infrastructure leveraging FHIR APIs in care delivery sites
Implement the tooling from Objective 2 at multiple sites in the CumulusQ network, and once refined, disseminate a snapshot of the data quality at those sites as a representative benchmark, with root cause analysis of data anomalies

Today marks 33 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This sweeping legislation protects people with disabilities from discrimination by state and local governments and employers. It ensures equal access to healthcare, social services, transportation, telecommunications, and other critical services. The ADA guaranteed disabled people the right to live the lives they want to live, with equal access to all our country has to offer.

Passing the ADA was a significant victory in the fight for disability rights. In the years since it was passed, our country has made strides toward the ADA’s promise of true inclusion. Unfortunately, far too many people with disabilities are still unable get the services and supports they need to live in their communities. Lack of accessible housing and transportation creates insurmountable barriers to independence and equal opportunity for many. Bias still closes doors, threatening access to vital services like health care.

I started my career as a legal aid attorney helping people with mental health disabilities and advocating for disability rights – and I have continued this work for nearly four decades. I am proud of the work HHS is doing to address the health disparities of people with disabilities, expand home and community-based services, ensure equitable access to health care, and more.

In his proclamation marking the ADA anniversary, President Biden calls for action to expand access to home and community based services and accessible transportation, improve employment opportunities, protect voting rights, and more. We must challenge ourselves, and our nation, to accelerate our progress and make inclusion and equal opportunity for people with disabilities a reality. The fight for disability rights continues, and we at HHS remain committed.

—

People with disabilities are valued and vibrant members of communities across the country. As we mark the anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act legislation – which makes it possible for so many of our loved ones to go to school, work, and enjoy life – we must all double down on our ongoing commitment to build a more inclusive America.
– HHS Deputy Secretary, Andrea Palm

The passage of the ADA was an important milestone in the fight for disability rights, but 33 years later, its promises remain unfulfilled for far too many disabled people. Making the ADA’s powerful provisions a reality for everyone will require a concerted, committed effort from all of us. ACL is proud to continue the fight – alongside people with disabilities and their families, our networks, and partners across the country – until disabled people truly have equal access to all of our country’s opportunities.
– Administration for Community Living Acting Administrator, Alison Barkoff

The Americans with Disabilities Act embodies our nation’s commitment to ensuring that disabled Americans have the same rights to live, work, and flourish in their communities—and to control their own lives and choices—as anyone else. Although we have not yet fully realized the promises of that law, HHS works every day to advance equality, opportunity, and community living for Americans with disabilities. It is our great honor at the Office of General Counsel to support and advance that work.
– General Counsel, Samuel R. Bagenstos

On this 33rd anniversary of the ADA, the Office for Civil Rights remains committed to enforcing its promise of equal opportunity and full inclusion for people with disabilities in all aspects of society. We will continue our work to combat inequality in health and human services through ensuring compliance and investigating complaints to fulfill the ADA’s purpose: eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities.
– Office for Civil Rights Director, Melanie Fontes Rainer

Relentless advocacy resulted in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act 33 years ago. Today, that advocacy continues so children and adults with disabilities in our nation have their rights protected in how they live, work and learn.
– Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary, January Contreras

The Americans with Disabilities Act was a breakthrough for people with disabilities in the fight for civil rights, but 33 years later the struggle isn’t over. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the gaps that Americans with disabilities experience in access, quality, safety, and appropriateness of healthcare, and we need to work together as a nation to reduce fragmentation in care and not lose further ground. Much more work is needed to ensure that the promise of the ADA is fulfilled.
– Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Director, Robert Otto Valdez, Ph.D., M.H.S.A.

At the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, we know the toughest challenges can’t be solved without all of us working together and our mission to accelerate better health doesn’t end until we reach everyone. The Americans with Disabilities Act marked a huge step forward. We know there is still much more to be done to achieve the promise of ADA, and we at ARPA-H are committed to making our agency, and our nation, a place where all can thrive.
– Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health Director, Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D.

As we commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we remember the protections this bi-partisan law has afforded millions of Americans with disabilities. We also know there is much more work to be done, and I look forward to working with Congress and leaders across the Department towards fulfilling the law’s promise.
– Acting Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Melanie Egorin

ASPE is committed to ensuring that HHS’ policies and programs enhance the well-being of people with disabilities and are informed by the strongest evidence. To achieve this, we recognize that people with disabilities must be central to the evidence development process, and that our work must reflect their diverse perspectives and needs.
– Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Services Policy, Miranda Lynch-Smith

When disaster strikes, no one should be left behind. At ASPR we are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the information and resources they need to stay safe in a disaster or public health emergency.
– Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Dawn O’Connell

While the ADA broke down barriers to inclusion, the work is far from over. We know people with disabilities continue to face discrimination and stigma. At CDC, we are committed to helping the disability community thrive.
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. MPH

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was historic and affirmed the inherent dignity of people with disabilities. At CMS, our goal is to support all enrollees in getting the care they need through the three “M’s” of CMS – Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Marketplaces. These programs serve more than one in three Americans, including millions of people with disabilities – and thanks in part to the ADA’s landmark advancements, our programs support the goals of people with disabilities to live and thrive in their communities.
– Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.

The Americans with Disabilities Act affirmed that disability rights are indeed human rights and paved the way for an inclusive and equitable society. However, we must continue to defend these hard-fought rights and strive to close the gap between legislation and lived reality, thus further ensuring that we fulfill the promise of the ADA.
– Departmental Appeals Board Chair, Constance B. Tobias

Inspired by the Americans with Disabilities Act and its supporters, we at the FDA are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We aim to foster an inclusive work environment that values diversity and empowers every individual to participate and contribute to their fullest potential. To achieve this, we actively promote a culture of inclusiveness, eliminate barriers to fair treatment and equal employment opportunities, and ensure accessibility and reasonable accommodations. Furthermore, we seek to educate our workforce about the advantages of diversity, equity, and inclusion; provide a platform to address allegations of discrimination; and facilitate the resolution of workplace grievances. Thirty-three years later our work implementing the ADA continues and will continue as we help seek to make it possible for people with disabilities to participate in the everyday commercial, economic, and social activities of American life.
– Food and Drug Administration Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Robert Califf, M.D.

This Disability Pride Month, we commemorate the Americans with Disabilities Act and honor those who have made strides to ensure that every person is treated equally and empowered to have a healthy, successful life. At HRSA, we’ve taken important steps to ensure that every child who has a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition gets the services they need, that those with HIV receive whole-person care in a supportive and stigma free environment, and that our HRSA-funded health centers continue to provide accessible primary care services, with supports like sign language services, insurance eligibility assistance, and transportation services to reduce barriers to care and improve health outcomes. We also recognize there is more work to be done. Today, and every day, we recognize all the things that make us unique and recommit our agency to challenging misconceptions about disabilities and providing the best possible care to everyone.
– Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator, Carole Johnson

Every person deserves equal access to healthcare, regardless of their abilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act has been instrumental in ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the same opportunities to receive quality medical care. Let’s mark the anniversary of ADA by continuing to advocate for inclusive and accessible healthcare for all.
– Intergovernmental and External Affairs Director, Marvin Figueroa

The Indian Health Service is committed to improving the health of people with disabilities and building cultural competency and an inclusive environment across Indian Country. In the unwavering pursuit to defend the rights protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, we reinforce our efforts to fulfill the promise of equality and encourage our partners and collaborators to become allies in the movement toward acceptance and appreciation of all people within the communities we serve, regardless of ability.
– Indian Health Service Director, Roselyn Tso.

This month we commemorate the 33rd anniversary of passing the Americans with Disabilities Act. This piece of legislation served as a landmark moment of progress in civil rights history – but it was just the beginning of ensuring disability rights. People of color, LGBTQI+ people, and other marginalized groups with disabilities face discrimination and difficulty accessing necessary health care. This disability pride month and every month, we work towards an equitable future where all Americans — including those with disabilities — can lead happy and healthy lives.
– Assistant Secretary for Health, Adm. Rachel L. Levine

ONC is continually working to advance the use of data to represent social needs and the conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play. The United States Core Data for Interoperability, which ONC updates annually, includes ‘disability status’ as a standardized data element so that relevant information about patients with disabilities can be recorded and shared as appropriate to their care.
– National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Micky Tripathi, Ph.D., M.P.P.

The anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act commemorates a landmark legislation that broke down barriers and incorporated inclusion for millions of individuals. SAMHSA honors the diversity and uniqueness of each person who has a disability, including those with behavioral health disabilities. We are committed to ensuring that the promise of the ADA is fulfilled as we continue the work to fully realize its potential.
– Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) announced today its plans to build a new distribution center in the Greenville, South Carolina, area, to support its at-Home Solutions business, a market-leading home healthcare medical supplies provider serving people with chronic and serious health conditions in the United States.

At approximately 350,000 square feet, the new building will provide at-Home Solutions with the space and automation it needs to serve its existing customers and patients while allowing for business expansion.

“I am thrilled about this new space, which is the second building we’ve built from the ground up inside of two years – and the largest building at-Home Solutions has ever opened to date,” said Rob Schlissberg, president, at-Home Solutions. “This announcement is a testament to the growth that we’re seeing as a business and across the industry. Over a little more than a decade, we’ve grown from serving about 1 million customers annually to more than 4 million – and with that growth, we need more space to meet customer demands efficiently and quickly.”

The new facility is at-Home Solutions 11th distribution center nationwide, estimated to bring up to 200 job opportunities to the Greenville region over the next two years.

While the distribution center has the capability to support all 50 states, its primary focus will be customers located in the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri and Louisiana. Once operational, it will ship approximately 8,000 packages per day directly to patient homes. The business currently ships approximately 55,000 packages per day from its 10 sites.

Advanced automation and robotics enhance new facility
Advanced automation technology and robotics within the facility, including outbound conveyor automation and state-of-the-art warehouse management systems, will further increase inventory capacity and improve service levels for the business so the right products can be at the right place at the right time.

This will be the second Cardinal Health distribution center to feature AutoStore empowered by Swisslog, the fastest order fulfillment system per square foot in the market.

The AutoStore solution, optimized by Swisslog’s SynQ software, employs autonomous robots that move on top of an aluminum cubic grid to continuously pick up, rearrange and deliver storage bins from the grid directly to connected workstations for order picking and replenishment. The solution combines robotics with artificial intelligence to optimize inventory storage space and accuracy, increase employee productivity and drive efficiencies within daily movement of product. Specific to the new Greenville distribution center, it will provide more than 290,000 cubic feet of storage for over 13,000 SKUs with 76 robots, eight picking stations and three replenishment stations supporting nearly 70,000 bin storage locations.

Additionally, the facility will feature two of the world’s first fully automated erected box systems, called the Packsize X5®. Each system produces 600 ready-to-pack, right-sized erected boxes per hour, bringing more speed to order fulfillment.

“These technologies provide us with better inventory accuracy, improve the quality in which we pick, pack and ship orders, and enhance employee safety and experience within the warehouse. They also attract a uniquely skilled workforce that will augment our operations, which is absolutely critical to our success as a business,” said Mike DeSimpelaere, vice president of network operations, at-Home Solutions.

Construction on the new facility will begin this summer; it’s estimated to be fully operational within 18 to 24 months. Stay updated on career opportunities at the site at cardinalhealth.com/careers.

About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for health care facilities. With 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 46,500 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

Contacts
Media: Cari Wildasinn, cari.wildasinn@cardinalhealth.com and 614.757.8287

SOURCE Cardinal Health

Paris- France— In a landmark development aimed at investing in and strengthening essential, climate and crisis-resilient primary health care (PHC) services in low- and low-and-middle income countries (LICs and LMICs), three multilateral development banks have joined with WHO to launch the new Health Impact Investment Platform.

The Platform, launched during the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact being held in Paris, will make an initial €1.5 billion available to LICs and LMICs in concessional loans and grants to expand the reach and scope of their PHC services, especially for the most vulnerable and underserved populations and communities.

The African Development Bank (AfDB), European Investment Bank (EIB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and WHO are the Platform’s founding members. As this is a global challenge, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is also considering joining this partnership in view to extending this initiative to the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

WHO will act as the Platform’s policy coordinator, responsible for ensuring alignment of financing decisions with national health priorities and strategies. The Platform’s secretariat will support governments to develop national health and prioritize PHC investment plans. The Platform will also aim to catalyse wider PHC investments in support of government health strategies.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said a PHC approach offers the most effective means to improve health and well-being, including through the delivery of essential health services to all people. It is a driver of universal health coverage, one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). World leaders committed in 2015 to achieve access to essential health-care services and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all people by 2030.

“Around 90% of essential health services can be delivered through PHC – on the ground, in communities, via health professionals, doctors and nurses, in local clinics. The broad spectrum of services that PHC provides can promote health and prevent disease, avoid and delay the need for more costly secondary and tertiary services, and deliver rehabilitation,” said Dr Tedros. “PHC serves as the ‘eyes and ears’ of a country’s health system, reaching to the very communities where people live. The new Health Impact Investment Platform will strengthen the development of such services, serving as an invaluable investment in the health of populations today and in the future.”

EIB President Werner Hoyer said the partner development banks were committed to supporting countries to strengthen their primary health care services, to both promote the health of their communities and protect against the impacts of future health emergencies.

“COVID-19 demonstrated the great human and economic suffering that can occur when we fail to invest in essential health services,” said Dr Hoyer. “Cooperation among multilateral development banks through the new Health Impact Investment Platform will ensure countries in need are better able to build resilient primary health care services that can withstand the shocks of future health crises, and safeguard communities and economies for the future. We already proved that in earlier collaborations with the WHO. The platform will facilitate access to crucial international financing for the most vulnerable. It is a concrete deliverable of President Macron’s call to increase international financial solidarity with the Global South.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO estimated that to reach the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), LICs and LMICs needed to increase their health spending significantly, and require an additional US$371 billion annually combined by 2030. This funding would allow populations to access health services, contribute to building new facilities and train and place health workers where they need to be. It has also been estimated that preparing for future pandemics will require investment in the order of US$ 31.1 billion annually. Approximately one third of that total would have to come from international financing. The Health Impact Investment Platform’s catalytic financing is also designed to promote the mobilization and coordination of broader financing flows through national PHC investment plans.

The new Platform builds on experience gained through cooperation between countries, multilateral organizations and development banks proved fruitful during the pandemic. For example, WHO, the EIB and the European Commission worked closely with Angola, Ethiopia and Rwanda to strengthen their health systems. Initially launched as stand-alone programs or as part of the countries’ response to COVID-19, these interventions mobilized technical assistance, grants and investments with advantageous terms to build up primary health care.

Muhammad Al Jasser, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank, said: “To achieve universal health coverage by 2030, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) and nations must prioritize investing more in health. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is committed to working collaboratively to generate impactful results and ensure access to quality and affordable primary healthcare for all.”

“Our cooperation will help guide investments by national governments to strengthen primary health care and their overall health systems, increase universal health coverage and improve their ability to prepare for, prevent and respond to health emergencies. We will work with countries individually to identify gaps in national health systems, design interventions and investment strategies, find funding, implement projects and monitor their impact,” said African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina.

lan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, said: “Good health and well-being are common goals that bind the world together. To achieve these goals, countries and institutions must collaborate. We are convinced that cooperation – not only between nations but also between governments and the private sector – is critical to achieving universal health coverage. Recognizing the global nature of this investment platform, we are already in discussions with other stakeholders to expand these efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean. We extend an open invitation to our partners to join this global investment platform.”

Note to editors
About the African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 37 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. https://www.afdb.org/en

About the European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investment contributing to EU policy goals. The EIB’s activities focus on the following priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructure, and cohesion. The EIB works closely with other institutions and has provided total financing of more than €42 billion for healthcare-related projects around the world since it started investing in the sector in 1997. https://www.eib.org/

About the Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region. Take our virtual tour.

About the Islamic Development Bank Group
Rated AAA by the major rating agencies, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is a multilateral development bank that has been working for over 49 years to improve the lives of the communities it serves by delivering impact at scale. The Bank brings together 57-Member Countries across four continents, touching the lives of 1 in 5 of the world population. Its mission is to equip people to drive their own economic and social progress at scale, putting the infrastructure in place enabling them to fulfill their potential. Headquartered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB has regional hubs and centers of excellence in 11 of its Member Countries. Over the years, the Bank has evolved from a single entity into a group comprising five entities: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) tasked with research and training, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment, and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). https://www.isdb.org/

About the World Health Organization

Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. www.who.int

https://www.who.int/news/item/23-06-2023-multilateral-development-banks-and-who-launch-new-investment-platform-to-strengthen-primary-health-care-services

The U.S. Administration for Community Living is seeking input on proposed updates to the regulations for its Older Americans Act (OAA) programs. The proposed rule is the first substantial update to most OAA program regulations in 35 years.

The world has changed dramatically since the current OAA regulations were established. The population of older adults has nearly doubled, and older adults are living longer than ever before. Their expectations for aging are different from those of earlier generations. Increased understanding of the impact of the social determinants of health is reshaping health care, as non-medical services that help people avoid hospitalization and institutional care – like those provided through OAA programs – are increasingly being incorporated into health care service delivery models. In addition, the OAA has been amended by Congress seven times since 1988. The proposed rule aims to align regulations to the current statute and reflect the needs of today’s older adults.

“Like the Inflation Reduction Act, which has cut health care costs for millions of older adults, and the steps we have taken to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, the update to the Older Americans Act regulations reflects President Biden’s commitment to supporting the health and well-being of older adults,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “By strengthening the stability and sustainability of Older Americans Act programs and promoting equitable access to its services, the proposed rule will help ensure that older people, particularly those in greatest need, have the support they need to live independently and age with dignity.”

“The overwhelming majority of older adults want to live in the community as they age, and almost 95 percent of them do. For many, services provided through the Older Americans Act — such as rides to doctors’ appointments, nutritious meals, in-home services, and support to family caregivers — make this possible,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging and ACL Administrator Alison Barkoff. “This proposed rule will strengthen the system of support that allows millions of older adults to stay in their own homes. With our population aging rapidly, and nearly three out of four people needing assistance to age in place, this is more important than ever.”

The proposed rule clarifies requirements across many programs and establishes regulations for those that have been authorized by the OAA since the last update of the rule, such as ACL’s state and tribal caregiver support programs. It also addresses issues that have emerged over the last three decades, such as a need for clarification of requirements and flexibilities for serving older adults during national disasters and other emergencies. It is intended to better support the national aging services network that delivers OAA services and improve program implementation, with an ultimate goal of better serving older adults.

The proposed rule is the culmination of many years of engagement with the national aging network. It also reflects input received through a formal request for information and a series of listening sessions, including formal tribal consultations and other engagement with tribal grantees.

Instructions for submitting comments can be found on ACL’s website and in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking posted on the Federal Register website today. Comments may be submitted starting tomorrow, June 16, and must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday, August 15. An informational webinar will be held on Thursday, June 22 at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern).

About the Older Americans Act
First passed in 1965 and last reauthorized on March 25, 2020, the OAA authorizes a wide range of programs and services that help older adults age in place. These services include home-delivered and congregate meals, support for family caregivers, preventive health services, personal and home care services, transportation, legal assistance, elder abuse prevention, and so much more. In addition, the OAA provides ombudsman services for people who live in long-term care facilities.

Through the aging services network, the OAA has helped older adults remain active and engaged in their communities, to the great benefit of all. Because of the OAA, neighborhoods and organizations across the country are able to continue to draw upon the wealth of knowledge that comes only with life experience.

Most provisions of the OAA are administered by the Administration for Community Living. (The U.S. Department of Labor administers the OAA’s Senior Community Services Employment Program, which is not covered by this proposed rule.)

About the Administration for Community Living
The Administration for Community Living was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. By funding services and supports provided primarily by networks of community-based organizations, and with investments in research, education, and innovation, ACL helps make this principle a reality for millions of Americans.

Geneva – A new progress report is being jointly released today by the 13 signatory agencies of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (SDG3 GAP). The report entitled “What worked? What didn’t? What’s next?” reflects four years of joint work by major multilateral agencies outlining what has and has not worked in strengthening collaboration and support to accelerate country progress towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This year marks the halfway point toward the SDGs, but the world is lagging behind to reach the global goals. Since its launch in 2019, the SDG3 GAP enabled creation of new collaboration structures between the signatory agencies in key areas such as sustainable financing and primary health care among others. At least 67 countries engaged in on one or more of the SDG3 GAP accelerator themes.

“We have made important progress, but we still have a long path to travel to improve the way that multilateral organizations work together to support countries. We must listen to what countries tell us and act upon their guidance,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General and Chair of the SDG3 GAP Principals Group. “I thank the partners for their collaboration and for the honest self-assessments contained in this report.”

The report provides six key recommendations to ensure that countries benefit from a more streamlined support and to realize the commitments made in the SDG3 GAP. These include:

continue the SDG3 GAP improvement cycle for health by seeking the views of Member States on how we collaborate at country-level and responding to related recommendations;
maintain GAP as a platform for collaboration;
foster stronger collaboration at the country level on primary health care and explore new thematic topics such as climate resilient health systems;
jointly apply new approaches at country level such as the delivery for impact approach;
engage more with civil society; and
work with Member States to strengthen incentives for collaboration through political leadership, governance direction and funding to support collaboration.
Key findings of the report will feed into discussions of the next United Nations General Assembly SDG Summit and the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in September 2023.

The months leading up to these key events provide an opportunity for a joint push by Member States and multilateral agencies to identify ways on how to implement the recommendations and to prepare the ground to fully leverage stronger collaboration and accelerate progress towards the health-related SDGs in the second half of the SDG timeframe.

The SDG3 GAP describes how the 13 signatory agencies will adopt new ways of working, building on existing successful collaborations, and jointly align their support around national plans and strategies that are country-owned and -led. The signatories to the SDG3 GAP are Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF); Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund); International Labour Organization (ILO); Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Unitaid; United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women); World Bank Group; World Food Programme (WFP); and World Health Organization (WHO).

See full report: What worked? What didn’t? What’s next?: 2023 progress report on the global action plan for healthy lives and well-being for all (who.int)

LINK: Collaborating locally is key for progress globally towards health-related SDGs (who.int)

MINNETONKA, Minn.: UnitedHealthcare announced new survey findings revealing college students are more likely to report they or a roommate or friend have encountered mental or behavioral health concerns over the past year, compared to what parents report knowing about their college-age children.

The survey also found gaps in awareness among college students regarding how to access mental and behavioral health care, uncovered student misconceptions about cost and ease of access for these services, and showed a correlation between students’ self-reported mental health concerns and doubts about on-time graduation.

The survey found students are self-reporting that they or a roommate or friend encountered mental or behavioral health concerns in the past year – including anxiety (55%), depression (41%) and eating disorders (11%) – and 15% of those students who have not sought help for behavioral or mental health concerns say it’s because they don’t know how to access on-campus behavioral and mental health services. Of particular concern, suicidal ideation and intent was self-reported by 13% of student respondents.

“It may not be surprising that some students and parents have different perceptions of the college experience, but this report demonstrates the need to create environments for ongoing meaningful conversations with these emerging adults,” said Dr. Donald Tavakoli, national medical director for behavioral health, UnitedHealthcare. “We need to work with students to educate them on their options for mental and behavioral support. Colleges, parents, health care providers and health plans all can play a role in supporting navigation to appropriate care.”

Commissioned by UnitedHealthcare and conducted by YouGov, “The College Student Behavioral Health Report” surveyed a total sample of 1,034 Americans, of whom 506 were college students, and 528 were parents of college students, enrolled in an institution of higher education across the country.

Data reveal college students may be struggling with more than typical exam stress – and parents may underestimate the frequency of serious mental health concerns.
Student respondents self-reported that they or a roommate or friend encountered potentially life-threatening mental or behavioral health concerns during the past year, including depression, eating disorders and suicidal ideation and intent, but survey data indicate that parents may not always be aware.

Infographic showing the comparison of reported conditions and concerns by college students vs parents
For example:
41% of students self-reported they encountered or managed depression, while only 22% of parents said their students had this experience.
11% of students self-reported they encountered or managed eating disorders compared to only 5% of parents who said their students had this experience.
Of particular note, 13% of students self-reported they encountered or managed suicidal ideation and intent, while only 4% of parents said their students had this experience.

Students cite barriers to accessing mental or behavioral health care.
When asked why students did not seek mental or behavioral care, among those not seeking it, parents were more likely than students (73% versus 49%) to say it was because their children did not need mental or behavioral health support. In contrast, students self-reported they did not seek help for reasons that point to perceptions around cost, difficulty in getting appointments and a lack of knowledge about where to access resources. Survey results showed:

Among students who did not seek help for behavioral or mental health concerns, 60% self-reported they or a college friend/roommate did need help but did not seek it because it is too expensive (38%), they did not know where to find behavioral or mental health resources (23%), and/or that it took too long to get an appointment (21%).
31% of respondents said they or their student did not know how to access on-campus behavioral or mental health services or believed their school does not offer them.
College students who did need support, but did not seek it, were more than twice as likely (38%) as parents (16%) to report that they did not seek help because it is too expensive.

Mental or behavioral health concerns may be linked to doubts about graduating on time.
For students who encountered mental or behavioral health concerns during the past year, survey results showed increased rates of doubts about on-time graduation – particularly among those whose self-reported concerns may be life-threatening, such as suicidal ideation and intent (88% doubt their ability to graduate on time), eating disorders (82% doubt their ability to graduate on time), or depression (79% doubt their ability to graduate on time). In contrast, only 30% of students who did not self-report encountering mental or behavioral health concerns in the past year doubt their ability to graduate on time.

Solutions may include increased communication among students, families, colleges and providers.
“Recognizing that college students may be facing more than just stress about schoolwork is an important first step in encouraging dialogue and increasing support. It’s critical that colleges, families, providers and health plans work together to provide resources and support to students where and when they need it,” added Dr. Tavakoli.

Steps toward reducing barriers to care, both real and perceived, may include:

Increasing communications with students and families on where and how to access care, even when it may be difficult.
Sharing guidance with students and families on how to understand and take advantage of student health insurance plans and/or family insurance benefits while in college, including clear information about what plan students have, what benefits are included and how to utilize services such as virtual care that may make mental and behavioral health support more readily accessible in moments of need.
Dispelling misperceptions around cost, wait time and appointment availability, so that students better understand their own options for care, and can also provide guidance to friends or roommates who may encounter mental or behavioral health challenges.
In addition to advocacy and resources for mental health programs, UnitedHealthcare offers helpful parent and youth “conversation starter cards” that are designed to help parents talk to their kids about mental well-being and that try to spark conversations that move past one-word answers.

For more information about behavioral health resources, visit UHC.com.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.6 million physicians and care professionals, and 8,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.

About The College Student Behavioral Health Report
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,034, of whom 528 were parents of college students and 506 were college students currently enrolled in an institution of higher education across the country. Fieldwork was undertaken between August 8 and August 14, 2022. The survey was carried out online.

GENEVA – Urgent action is needed globally and locally to achieve safe and sustainably managed water, sanitation and hygiene for all in order to prevent devastating impacts on the health of millions of people.

Findings from WHO and UN-Water’s Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) report show that acceleration is needed in many countries to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – water and sanitation for all by 2030.

While 45% of countries are on track to achieve their nationally-defined drinking-water coverage targets, only 25% of countries are on track to achieve their national sanitation targets. Less than a third of countries reported to have sufficient human resources required to carry out key drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) functions.

The GLAAS 2022 report, which details the latest status of WASH systems in more than 120 countries, is the largest data collection from the greatest number of countries to date.

While there has been an increase in WASH budgets in some countries, a large number–over 75% of countries reported insufficient funding to implement their WASH plans and strategies.

“We are facing an urgent crisis: poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene claim millions of lives each year, while the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related extreme weather events continue to hamper the delivery of safe WASH services,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We call on governments and development partners to strengthen WASH systems and dramatically increase investment to extend access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services to all by 2030, beginning with the most vulnerable.”

The GLAAS data show, however, that most WASH policies and plans do not address risks of climate change to WASH services, nor the climate resilience of WASH technologies and management systems. Just over two thirds of countries have measures in WASH policies to reach populations disproportionately affected by climate change. However, only about one third monitor progress or allocate explicit funding to these populations.

“The world is seriously off-track to achieve SDG 6 on water and sanitation for all, by 2030. This leaves billions of people dangerously exposed to infectious diseases, especially in the aftermath of disasters, including climate change-related events,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, Chair of UN-Water, and Director General of the International Labour Organization. “The new data from GLAAS will inform the voluntary commitments the international community will make at the UN 2023 Water Conference in March, helping us target the most vulnerable communities and solve the global water and sanitation crisis.”

Urgency and opportunities
Dire consequences of climate change and extreme weather events bring more attention to the issues, underlining an urgent need for a whole-of-society approach and global cooperation to act together. The GLAAS 2022 report shows that countries making progress demonstrated high level of political commitment and investments in improving safe WASH systems.

With the GLAAS 2022 report, WHO and UN-Water call on all governments and stakeholders to scale up support for WASH service delivery, through strengthened governance, financing, monitoring, regulation, and capacity development.

The report sets the scene for action ahead of a historic water and sanitation meeting planned in 2023. For the first time in 50 years, the global community—through the United Nations—will review progress and make firm commitments to renew action on water and sanitation with global leaders. The UN 2023 Water Conference – formally known as the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028) – will take place at UN Headquarters in New York, 22-24 March 2023.

The UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) data portal is now online at https://glaas.who.int

About the World Health Organization
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. More at www.who.int

About UN-Water

UN-Water coordinates the United Nations’ work on water and sanitation. UN-Water is a ‘coordination mechanism’. It is comprised of United Nations entities (Members) and international organizations (Partners) working on water and sanitation issues. UN-Water’s role is to ensure that Members and Partners’ deliver as one’ in response to water-related challenges.

GENEVA, SHARM EL-SHEIKH, 6 NOVEMBER 2022 – On the eve of the pivotal climate talks at COP27, the World Health Organization issues a grim reminder that the climate crisis continues to make people sick and jeopardizes lives and that health must be at the core of these critical negotiations.

WHO believes the conference must conclude with progress on the four key goals of mitigation, adaptation, financing and collaboration to tackle the climate crisis.

COP27 will be a crucial opportunity for the world to come together and re-commit to keeping the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement goal alive.

We welcome journalists and COP27 participants to join WHO at a series of high-level events and spend time in an innovative health pavilion space. Our focus will be placing the health threat from the climate crisis and the huge health gains that would come from stronger climate action at the centre of discussions. Climate change is already affecting people’s health and will continue to do so at an accelerating rate unless urgent action is taken.

“Climate change is making millions of people sick or more vulnerable to disease all over the world and the increasing destructiveness of extreme weather events disproportionately affects poor and marginalized communities,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It is crucial that leaders and decision makers come together at COP27 to put health at the heart of the negotiations.”

Our health depends on the health of the ecosystems that surround us, and these ecosystems are now under threat from deforestation, agriculture and other changes in land use and rapid urban development. The encroachment ever further into animal habitats is increasing opportunities for viruses harmful to humans to make the transition from their animal host. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

The direct damage costs to health (i.e., excluding costs in health-determining sectors such as agriculture and water and sanitation), is estimated to be between US$ 2–4 billion per year by 2030.

The rise in global temperature that has already occurred is leading to extreme weather events that bring intense heatwaves and droughts, devastating floods and increasingly powerful hurricanes and tropical storms. The combination of these factors means the impact on human health is increasing and is likely to accelerate.

But there is room for hope, particularly if governments take action now to honour the pledges made at Glasgow in November 2021 and to go further in resolving the climate crisis.

WHO is calling on governments to lead a just, equitable and fast phase out of fossil fuels and transition to a clean energy future. There has also been encouraging progress on commitments to decarbonization and WHO is calling for the creation of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty that would see coal and other fossil fuels harmful to the atmosphere phased out in a just and equitable way. This would represent one of the most significant contributions to climate change mitigation.

Improvement in human health is something that all citizens can contribute to, whether through the promotion of more urban green spaces, which facilitate climate mitigation and adaptation while decreasing the exposure to air pollution, or campaigning for local traffic restrictions and the enhancement of local transport systems. Community engagement and participation on climate change is essential to building resilience and strengthening food and health systems, and this is particularly important for vulnerable communities and small island developing states (SIDS), who are bearing the brunt of extreme weather events.

Thirty-one million people in the greater Horn of Africa are facing acute hunger and 11 million children are facing acute malnutrition as the region faces one of the worst droughts in recent decades. Climate change already has an impact on food security and if current trends persist, it will only get worse. The floods in Pakistan are a result of climate change and have devasted vast swathes of the country. The impact will be felt for years to come. Over 33 million people have been affected and almost 1500 health centres damaged.

But even communities and regions less familiar with extreme weather must increase their resilience, as we have seen with flooding and heatwaves recently in central Europe. WHO encourages everyone to work with their local leaders on these issues and take action in their communities.

­Climate policy must now put health at the centre and promote climate change mitigation policies that bring health benefits simultaneously. Health-focused climate policy would help bring about a planet that has cleaner air, more abundant and safer freshwater and food, more effective and fairer health and social protection systems and, as a result, healthier people.

Investment in clean energy will yield health gains that repay those investments twice over. There are proven interventions able to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, for instance applying higher standards for vehicle emissions, which have been calculated to save approximately 2.4 million lives per year, through improved air quality and reduce global warming by about 0.5 °C by 2050. The cost of renewable sources of energy has decreased significantly in the last few years, and solar energy is now cheaper than coal or gas in most major economies.

WHO is custodian to 32 Sustainable Development Goal indicators, 17 of which are impacted by climate change or its drivers, and 16 of which specifically impact the health of children.

The COP27 Health Pavilion will convene the global health community and its partners to ensure health and equity are placed at the centre of the climate negotiations. It will offer a 2-week programme of events showcasing evidence, initiatives and solutions to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change across regions, sectors and communities.

The centre piece of the Health Pavilion will be an artistic installation in the form of human lungs.

The WHO COP27 news release will be available as of 09:00 Geneva time, Sunday 6 November 2022 at the following link:

https://www.who.int/news/item/06-11-2022-health-must-be-front-and-centre-in-the-cop27-climate-change-negotiations

All side events hosted at the WHO Health Pavilion will be livestreamed on the dedicated page at:

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/11/06/default-calendar/cop27-health-pavilion

In a 2019 vector alert, WHO identified the spread of Anopheles stephensi as a significant threat to malaria control and elimination – particularly in Africa, where the disease hits hardest. A new WHO initiative, launched today, aims to stop the further spread of this invasive mosquito species in the region.

Originally native to parts of South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, An. stephensi has been expanding its range over the last decade, with detections reported in Djibouti (2012), Ethiopia and Sudan (2016), Somalia (2019) and Nigeria (2020). Unlike the other main mosquito vectors of malaria in Africa, it thrives in urban settings.

With more than 40% of the population in Africa living in urban environments, the invasion and spread of An. stephensi could pose a significant threat to the control and elimination of malaria in the region. But large-scale surveillance of the vector is still in its infancy, and more research and data are urgently needed.

“We are still learning about the presence of Anopheles stephensi and its role in malaria transmission in Africa,” said Dr Jan Kolaczinski, who leads the Vector Control and Insecticide Resistance unit with the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “It is important to underscore that we still don’t know how far the mosquito species has already spread, and how much of a problem it is or could be.”

WHO’s new initiative aims to support an effective regional response to An. stephensi on the African continent through a five-pronged approach:

increasing collaboration across sectors and border;
strengthening surveillance to determine the extent of the spread of An. stephensi and its role in transmission;
improving information exchange on the presence of An. stephensi and on efforts to control it;
developing guidance for national malaria control programmes on appropriate ways to respond to An. stephensi
prioritizing research to evaluate the impact of interventions and tools against An. stephensi
Integrated action is “key to success”
Where feasible, national responses to An. stephensi should be integrated with efforts to control malaria and other vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya. The WHO Global vector control response 2017–2030 provides a framework for investigating and implementing such integration.

“Integrated action will be key to success against Anopheles stephensi and other vector-borne diseases,” noted Dr Ebenezer Baba, malaria advisor for the WHO African Region. “Shifting our focus to integrated and locally adapted vector control can save both money and lives,” he added.

Tracking the spread of Anopheles stephensi
The WHO Malaria Threats Map features a dedicated section on invasive vectors, including An. stephensi. All confirmed reports of the presence of An. stephensi should be reported to WHO to allow an open sharing of data and an up-to-date understanding of its distribution and spread. This knowledge will ultimately provide a basis to assess the effectiveness of any efforts to control or eliminate An. stephensi.

./.

For more information:

Mosquito on the move – a feature story
WHO initiative to stop the spread of Anopheles stephensi in Africa
To see the full Press Release, please click here
WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP)

Reported worldwide measles cases increased by 79 per cent in the first two months of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, as WHO and UNICEF warn conditions ripe for serious outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses
An increase in measles cases in January and February 2022 is a worrying sign of a heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles affecting millions of children in 2022, warn WHO and UNICEF.

Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

The risk for large outbreaks has increased as communities relax social distancing practices and other preventive measures for COVID-19 implemented during the height of the pandemic. In addition, with millions of people being displaced due to conflicts and crises including in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia and Afghanistan, disruptions in routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination services, lack of clean water and sanitation, and overcrowding increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.

Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021. As measles is very contagious, cases tend to show up quickly when vaccination levels decline. The agencies are concerned that outbreaks of measles could also forewarn outbreaks of other diseases that do not spread as rapidly.

Apart from its direct effect on the body, which can be lethal, the measles virus also weakens the immune system and makes a child more vulnerable to other infectious diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea, including for months after the measles infection itself among those who survive. Most cases occur in settings that have faced social and economic hardships due to COVID-19, conflict, or other crises, and have chronically weak health system infrastructure and insecurity.

“Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunization coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles.”

In 2020, 23 million children missed out on basic childhood vaccines through routine health services, the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019.

See at the bottom top 5 countries with reported measles cases in the last 12 months, until April 2022

As of April 2022, the agencies report 21 large and disruptive measles outbreaks around the world in the last 12 months. Most of the measles cases were reported in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The figures are likely higher as the pandemic has disrupted surveillance systems globally, with potential underreporting.

Countries with the largest measles outbreaks since the past year include Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. Insufficient measles vaccine coverage is the major reason for outbreaks, wherever they occur.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted immunization services, health systems have been overwhelmed, and we are now seeing a resurgence of deadly diseases including measles. For many other diseases, the impact of these disruptions to immunization services will be felt for decades to come,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Now is the moment to get essential immunization back on track and launch catch-up campaigns so that everybody can have access to these life-saving vaccines.”

As of 1 April 2022, 57 vaccine-preventable disease campaigns in 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the start of the pandemic are still postponed, impacting 203 million people, most of whom are children. Of these, 19 are measles campaigns, which put 73 million children at risk of measles due to missed vaccinations. In Ukraine, the measles catch-up campaign of 2019 was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and thereafter due to the war. Routine and catch-up campaigns are needed wherever access is possible to help make sure there are not repeated outbreaks as in 2017-2019, when there were over 115,000 cases of measles and 41 deaths in the country – this was the highest incidence in Europe.

Coverage at or above 95 per cent with two doses of the safe and effective measles vaccine can protect children against measles. However, COVID-19 pandemic related disruptions have delayed the introduction of the second dose of the measles vaccine in many countries.

As countries work to respond to outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and recover lost ground, UNICEF and WHO, along with partners such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the partners of the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , and others are supporting efforts to strengthen immunization systems by:

Restoring services and vaccination campaigns so countries can safely deliver routine immunization programmes to fill the gaps left by the backsliding;
Helping health workers and community leaders communicate actively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations;
Rectifying gaps in immunization coverage, including identifying communities and people who have been missed during the pandemic;
Ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine delivery is independently financed and well-integrated into overall planning for immunization services so that it is not carried out at the cost of childhood and other vaccination services;
Implementing country plans to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthening immunization systems as part of COVID-19 recovery efforts.
__________________________________________________

1 Source: Provisional data based on monthly data reported to WHO as of April 2022

2 Source: WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage, 2020 revision.

3 Source: WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage, 2020 revision.

Related links:

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week/2022

https://www.who.int/health-topics/measles#tab=tab_1

https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization#tab=tab_1

######

Download UNICEF photos and broll here. Download WHO photos

For more information on the 24-30 April WHO World Immunization Week campaign and all resources.

About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org.

Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook

About WHO
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States across six regions, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

Visit www.who.int and follow WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitch

Media contacts:

mediainquiries@who.int

TUNIS, Tunisia, 06 February 2022 / PRN Africa / — African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina has said that the most important lesson of the Covid-19 pandemic for Africa is the need to build a defense mechanism against external shocks, especially in healthcare and financial security.

“Investing in health is investing in national security,” Adesina told African leaders on Saturday, at the opening of the 35th African Union Assembly in the Ethiopian capital. “Africa cannot afford to outsource the healthcare security of its 1.4 billion citizens to the benevolence of others.”

The Bank chief said the continent needed $484 billion over the next three years to address the socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and support economic recovery.

Adesina outlined three strategic priorities for an African healthcare defense system: building quality healthcare infrastructure; developing the continent’s pharmaceutical industry; and increasing the capacity of vaccine manufacturing. He added that the African Development Bank planned to invest $3 billion to support Africa’s pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing capacity.

Speaking about other critical areas for the continent, such as managing debt, Adesina said: “Africa’s public debt, currently estimated at $546 billion, represents one-quarter of the continent’s GDP and is higher than the combined total annual government revenues of $501 billion.”

Adesina said the African Development Fund , the Bank Group’s concessional lending arm, had supported low-income countries with $8.5 billion over the last five years.

Calling on African Union leaders to strongly support the Fund’s 16th replenishment in 2022, Adesina advised that a funding restructure of the African Development Fund would allow the Fund to go to market, leverage its $25 billion in equity, and raise an additional $33 billion in financing for low-income countries.

The Bank Group chief reminded African leaders that they had asked for re-allocated IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to be channeled through the African Development Bank, a prescribed holder of SDRs.

“Passing the re-allocated SDRs for Africa through the African Development Bank will serve Africa very well, provide financial leverage, and help recapitalize other African financial institutions, many of which the Bank helped to set up,” he said.

Adesina repeated his earlier calls for an African Financial Stability Mechanism to provide liquidity buffers to protect the continent against financial and economic shocks. He said that while other continents have such mechanisms, Africa was the only one that does not. He explained that this led to widespread regional spill-over contagion effects and instability from Covid-19-induced financial shocks. “African economies must be protected,” he stressed.

Addressing the summit plenary earlier, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted Africa’s unpreparedness for external shocks like new viruses. He said Africa’s 2.1% retraction in growth had set it back and threatened the achievement of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Various heads of state and government spoke of the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on their countries, and steps they were taking to tackle the virus and other challenges. Host country Ethiopia, which is dealing with several challenges, has made substantial investments in wheat production and is on track to reach its goal of planting 20 billion trees by 2022. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the initiative will mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The African Union’s 2022 Year of Nutrition focuses on strengthening resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent. With the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank launched the Facility for African Food Security and Nutrition at the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021. Adesina said the facility “will mobilize $1 billion to support the delivery of climate resilient technologies to 40 million farmers and produce 100 million metric tons of food to feed 200 million people.” He added, “this will reduce the number of people facing hunger in Africa by 80%.”

Adesina called for accelerated action to advance Africa’s rapid development and sounded a note of optimism. “With your bold and visionary leadership, a new Africa is emerging. Just as the eagle soars above the storms, so will Africa soar and achieve its destiny. Africa is destined for greatness,” he insisted.

SOURCE African Development Bank (AfDB)

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Stockholm-based Digital Therapeutics (DTx) company Alex Therapeutics and world leading pharmaceutical company Pfizer have joined forces to provide evidence based, clinically validated and personalized digital therapies to patients. Together, the companies cover a broad range of expertise in the fields of medicine, marketing, clinical validation, AI, software development and psychology. The partnership will initially focus on Germany, one of the world’s largest unified healthcare markets.

“In our efforts to give patients access to new, innovative forms of therapy, it is our aim to fully benefit from the possibilities of digitization. Alex Therapeutics is a very promising company due to its approach of combining the latest psychological findings on dealing with harmful behavior with the possibilities of artificial intelligence” says Aylin Tüzel, Country Manager Pfizer Germany, explaining the choice of cooperation partner.

“Alex DTx Platform” uses Artificial Intelligence to treat medical conditions
The partnership will utilize Alex Therapeutics’ AI-powered digital therapeutics platform “Alex DTx Platform”. The platform combines evidence-based psychology, primarily Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with AI, and provides personalised standalone treatments to address unmet needs among patients worldwide.

John Drakenberg Renander, CEO of Alex Therapeutics, is excited by the opportunity to scale their novel treatments: “The collaboration with Pfizer enables us to combine our technology and expertise with one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and gives us unique access to an attractive healthcare market. Pfizer’s unique experience of the needs of patients and doctors provides us with the opportunity to put our technology into the hands of those that need it the most.”

The initial focus of the partnership is a digital therapy treating nicotine addiction via smartphone. The medical device was developed by Alex Therapeutics and adapted to the requirements of the German healthcare system together with Pfizer Germany. Pfizer is currently conducting an extensive clinical trial in Germany to further validate the medical benefits of the solution.

Germany has emerged as one of the leading countries in Digital Therapeutics
Josh Raysman, the leader of Pfizer’s Digital Innovation Lab, sees in the partnership a proof-point for collaborations in digital health. “We are working around the globe to leverage innovative digital approaches to enhance patient experiences and improve health outcomes. With the recent Digital Supply Act, the expertise of Pfizer’s colleagues in Germany, and the capabilities of Alex Therapeutics we have an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of patient-centric partnerships focused on transforming healthcare with digital treatments”

German-Swedish Collaboration
In January 2017, Germany and Sweden decided on a comprehensive partnership for innovation. The partnership tackles societal challenges within key areas, such as ehealth and AI, where Germany and Sweden have strong positions, and holds potential to develop the role of the EU.

“This is a great example of how innovative companies such as Alex Therapeutics in Sweden and Pfizer in Germany can come together in the fields of ehealth and AI. Together, they will provide new solutions to the benefit of patients.”
Per Thöresson, Swedish Ambassador in Germany

Contact

Pfizer Deutschland GmbH
External Communications
Miriam Münch
Linkstraße 10, D-10785 Berlin
Telefon: +49 (0)30 – 55 00 55 – 51088
E-Mail: presse@pfizer.com
Website: www.pfizer.de
Twitter: www.twitter.com/pfizer_de
Youtube: www.pfizer.de/youtube

Alex Therapeutics AB
COO
Sebastian Blendow
Upplandsgatan 7, 11123 Stockholm, Sweden
E-Mail: press@alextherapeutics.com
Website: www.alextherapeutics.com

About Alex Therapeutics
Alex Therapeutics is a medtech company based in Stockholm which designs and develops Software-as-a-Medical-Devices (SaMDs). With the proven “Alex DTx Platform”. expertise in artificial intelligence and evidence-based psychology, Alex Therapeutics is uniquely positioned to deliver cutting-edge and reliable DTx products that demonstrably improve the health of their patients. The company has served tens of thousands of patients, has experience of clinical validation, and positive patient testimonials. For more information, visit www.alextherapeutics.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.de. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.Pfizer.de and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced a collaboration with Uber Health, Uber’s healthcare arm, to provide critical transportation support at no cost to people who need it most when seeking access to medical care, work or educational programs.

The relationship is part of Health Zones, CVS Health’s new initiative that provides concentrated local investments designed to reduce health disparities and advance health equity in high-risk communities across the country. Health Zones is an integrated approach to addressing six key social determinants of health: housing, education, access to food, labor, transportation, and health care access. The Health Zones initiative is now active in five markets nationwide: Atlanta, GA; Columbus, OH; Fresno, CA; Hartford, CT; and Phoenix, AZ with plans to expand into more cities later this year. Working with trusted national and local partners, CVS Health is addressing community health care needs, ensuring at-risk communities have access to resources and opportunities that can help them thrive.

CVS Health and Uber Health will help eliminate a critical barrier to care and overall well-being – transportation – which can limit a person’s ability to receive medical care, to get to work or to job trainings and can ultimately lead to adverse health outcomes. Rides with Uber Health will be available to a target population living in three of the five Health Zones: Atlanta, GA; Columbus, OH; and Hartford, CT with plans to enter additional cities later this year.

“Our Health Zones initiative allows us to make a real impact on the health of communities across the country by working closely with organizations that share our commitment to addressing social determinants of health,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility & Philanthropy and Chief Sustainability Officer, CVS Health. “With the Uber Health platform, we’ll provide critical transportation to people within communities who need it most, giving them access to health care services so they can live healthier lives and to jobs and educational programs that can help them reach their full potential.”

“We’ve long known that access to reliable transportation can help address critical gaps in care that often disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. With the past two years of the pandemic only further highlighting today’s health inequities, it’s more important than ever for communities to have the tools they need to bridge care gaps and achieve better patient and population health outcomes,” said Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health. “Uber Health is proud to be a part of CVS Health’s new Health Zones initiative and encourages community organizations to address transportation as a key social determinant of health, while improving health outcomes in a scalable way.”

For Uber Health, the relationship with CVS Health is a natural extension of its broader commitment to improving population health care management, so more people can achieve and maintain healthy lifestyles. Its HIPAA-supported solution is utilized by more than 2,000 health care organizations across the U.S.

Health Zones is part of CVS Health’s overall commitment to advance health equity in America. In 2021, CVS Health invested $185 million in affordable housing nationwide and $1.3 billion over the past 20 years. Through these investments, CVS Health has been able to provide underserved communities with quality housing, economic support, and educational training opportunities based on the unique needs of the population.

CVS Health continues to help ensure equitable access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations across the country. Approximately 40 percent of vaccines have been provided to underserved communities and more than 50 percent of CVS Health’s testing sites have also supported these communities.

To learn more about CVS Health’s new Health Zones initiative and the collaboration with Uber Health, please visit www.CVSHealth.com/HealthZones.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and approximately 300,000 dedicated colleagues – including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health – whether that’s managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications, or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Learn more at www.cvshealth.com.

About Uber Health
Since 2018, Uber Health’s HIPAA-supported solution has become the logistics platform of choice for healthcare organizations focused on population health management. From non-emergency medical transportation, nutritional meals to prescription delivery, Uber Health can help connect millions to the care they need. Over 2,000 healthcare organizations like ALC Solutions, Cerner, Boston Medical Center, and ModivCare trust Uber Health to provide access to stress-free transportation for those they care for. By tapping into Uber’s logistics expertise, Uber Health’s API is able to facilitate everything from mobility solutions to critical deliveries, streamlining population health management and supporting better patient outcomes. For more information, visit uberhealth.com.

Media contact
Eva Pereira
781-686-4200
PereiraE1@cvshealth.com

SOURCE CVS Health

GENEVA, 10 December 2021 — COVID-19 pandemic disrupts health services worldwide

New evidence compiled by the World Health Organization and the World Bank shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage. The organizations also reveal that more than half a billion people are being pushed into extreme poverty because they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets.

The findings are contained in two complementary reports, launched on Universal Health Coverage Day, highlighting the devastating impact of COVID-19 on people’s ability to obtain health care and pay for it.

In 2020, the pandemic disrupted health services and stretched countries’ health systems beyond their limits as they struggled to deal with the impact of COVID-19. As a result, for example, immunization coverage dropped for the first time in ten years, and deaths from TB and malaria increased.

The pandemic also triggered the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, making it increasingly difficult for people to pay for care. Even before the pandemic, half a billion people were being pushed (or pushed still further) into extreme poverty because of payments they made for health care. The organizations expect that that number is now considerably higher.

“There is no time to spare,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “All governments must immediately resume and accelerate efforts to ensure every one of their citizens can access health services without fear of the financial consequences. This means strengthening public spending on health and social support, and increasing their focus on primary health care systems that can provide essential care close to home.”

He added: “Prior to the pandemic, many countries had made progress. But it was not robust enough. This time we must build health systems that are strong enough to withstand shocks, such as the next pandemic and stay on course towards universal health coverage.”

The new WHO/World Bank reports also warn that financial hardship is likely to become more intense as poverty grows, incomes fall, and governments face tighter fiscal constraints.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, almost 1 billion people were spending more than 10 per cent of their household budget on health,” said Juan Pablo Uribe, Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population, World Bank. “This is not acceptable, especially since the poorest people are hit hardest. Within a constrained fiscal space, governments will have to make tough choices to protect and increase health budgets,” he added.

In the first two decades of this century, many governments had made progress on service coverage. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, 68 per cent of the world’s population was covered by essential health services, such as pre-and post-natal care and reproductive health services; immunization services; treatment for diseases like HIV, TB and malaria; and services to diagnose and treat noncommunicable diseases like cancer, heart conditions, and diabetes.

But they had not made such advances in ensuring affordability. As a result, the poorest groups and those living in rural areas are the least able to obtain health services, and the least likely to be able to cope with the consequences of paying for them. Up to 90 percent of all households incurring impoverishing out-of-pocket health spending are already at or below the poverty line – underscoring the need to exempt poor people from out-of-pocket health spending, backing such measures with health financing policies that enable good intentions to be realized in practice.

Besides the prioritizing of services for poor and vulnerable populations, supported through targeted public spending and policies that protect individuals from financial hardship, it will also be crucial to improve the collection, timeliness and disaggregation of data on access, service coverage, out-of-pocket health spending and total expenditure. Only when countries have an accurate picture of the way that their health system is performing, can they effectively target action to improve the way it meets the needs of all people.

Together, these two new reports offer both a warning and guideposts to all countries as they strive to build back better from COVID-19 and keep their populations safe, healthy, and financially secure.

World Bank Group Response to COVID-19

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank Group has deployed over $157 billion to fight the health, economic, and social impacts of the pandemic, the fastest and largest crisis response in its history. The financing is helping more than 100 countries strengthen pandemic preparedness, protect the poor and jobs, and jump start a climate-friendly recovery. The Bank is also supporting over 60 low- and middle-income countries, more than half of which are in Africa, with the purchase and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, and is making available $20 billion in financing for this purpose until the end of 2022.

SOURCE World Health Organization (WHO)

DENVER, Nov. 1, 2021 — In honor of American Diabetes Month® (ADM), the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) and DaVita are coming together to educate Americans about the connection between diabetes and kidney disease. Throughout the month of November, both organizations will be sharing resources to inform people about taking steps to help prevent or slow these chronic conditions.

In honor of American Diabetes Month® (ADM), the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) and DaVita are coming together to educate Americans about the connection between diabetes and kidney disease.

Do you know the leading cause of kidney disease?
Do you know the leading cause of kidney disease?
“During American Diabetes Month and beyond, we’re working together to help remove barriers, deliver comprehensive education and better support people with pre-diabetes, diabetes, and kidney disease,” said Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association. “Our collaboration with DaVita has created a valuable network to get information to those who need it most, and we’re proud to have already reached 35 million people to date.”

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney disease globally. An estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with diabetes every year, while 37 million are estimated to be living with kidney disease. Both chronic conditions disproportionally impact Black and Hispanic communities, many of whom are already at higher risk for other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and obesity.

This ADM campaign aims to give people small, tangible steps they can take to help reduce their risk of developing diabetes and kidney disease. The vision is for the small steps to add up to a larger, positive impact on this population’s overall long-term health.

As part of this effort, Dr. Jeff Giullian, chief medical officer for DaVita, and Tina Livaudais, chief nursing officer for DaVita, will join Dr. Robert Gabbay on Nov. 19 for a live discussion about diabetes and kidney disease. For more information, visit diabetes.org/bigstepup.

DaVita and the ADA have collaborated over the past year to curate and develop resources that provide essential information about kidney disease risks and prevention methods to those who need it most. These resources include:

Dietitian-reviewed, kidney-friendly recipes
No-cost kidney health classes that are open to the community
Community engagement on social channels and in media that promotes health literacy
“We’re committed to addressing kidney disease holistically, which includes a strong focus on preventive care and risk reduction,” said Dr. Giullian. “Through our work with the ADA, we’re building awareness of the connection between two of the most common chronic conditions worldwide and helping provide no-cost tools accessible to the public to better address and manage these conditions.”

For additional information and resources on the link between kidney disease and diabetes, please visit DaVita.com/ManagingDiabetes.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita (NYSE: DVA) is a health care provider focused on transforming care delivery to improve quality of life for patients globally. The company is one of the largest providers of kidney care services in the U.S. and has been a leader in clinical quality and innovation for more than 20 years. DaVita cares for patients at every stage and setting along their kidney health journey—from slowing the progression of kidney disease to helping to support transplantation, from acute hospital care to dialysis at home. As of September 30, 2021, DaVita served 241,600 patients at 3,155 outpatient dialysis centers, of which 2,822 centers were located in the U.S. and 333 centers were located in ten countries outside of the U.S. DaVita has reduced hospitalizations, improved mortality, and worked collaboratively to propel the kidney care industry to adopt an equitable and high-quality standard of care for all patients, everywhere. To learn more, visit DaVita.com/About.

About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 81 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education, we aim to improve quality of life for the nearly 122 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together, what we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org/bigstepup or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

Contact Information
Media:
Halie Peddle
halie.peddle@davita.com
(303) 550-6349

SOURCE DaVita