Novo commits $200m to support World Diabetes Federation
One of the first type 1 diabetes clinics in Tanzania, supported by the WDF.
Ahead of World Diabetes Day on Saturday, Novo has said it will provide $200 million over the next 10 years to support World Diabetes Foundation programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The funding for the WDF – which was set up by Novo in 2002 and funded by the pharma group continuously since then – will help it to continue its work in helping LMICs build healthcare systems that improve the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of diabetes and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The organisation supports initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles, maternal and child health, such as managing gestational diabetes and childhood prevention, community outreach programmes, healthcare professional training, and the development of digital health tools.
Diabetes is a growing global health crisis, affecting an estimated 589 million adults worldwide, with around 80% of adults with the disease living in LMICs, according to Novo, which is a major player in developing and selling insulin and other antidiabetic medicines.
In a statement, the pharma group said the long-term funding commitment will give the WDF "greater certainty to plan for the long term, to continue to build on its partnerships, and to scale regional and global responses to the growing burden of diabetes."
The WDF has demonstrated that it can strengthen diabetes care through projects such as its support of a small clinic in Tanzania more than 20 years ago, which since that time has grown into a nationwide, government-owned programme for NCDs, providing training for thousands of healthcare workers and developing treatment and referral guidelines.
Another example is an initiative in Jordan, where WDF and its partners integrated prevention, screening, counselling, and treatment into existing services and – over five years – supported more than 190 health facilities, trained more than 2,000 healthcare providers, and improved care for more than 192,000 people, including refugees.
To date, WDF has supported 633 projects in 121 countries, with 88 of them ongoing projects.
"Lasting improvements in health don't happen overnight. They require long-term commitment, strong local partnerships and solutions that can become part of everyday healthcare," said Elin Jäger, who leads Novo's transformation & sustainability activities.
"Through this 10-year commitment, we want to help the World Diabetes Foundation build on what works, strengthen local health systems, and bring prevention and care within reach of more underserved communities," she added.
The WDF also receives separate funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which owns a controlling stake in Novo. The Foundation has pledged almost $40 million to the WDF between 2024 and 2030, along with a similar level of funding for specific project grants between 2022 and 2027.
