Annual Report 2019
Transforming Global Health in 2019
The results have been transformational.
CHAI’s programs have helped millions of adults and children access lifesaving medicine to treat diseases they would have died from two decades ago.
In 2019, we were proud to transition several pieces of work to our government partners, from a transformative program that has saved the lives of thousands of mothers and newborns in Ethiopia to developing sustainable, locally sourced food to reduce malnutrition in Rwanda.
We also took on new areas of work. We expanded efforts to tackle non-communicable disease, including diabetes and heart disease, and launched a program to address cervical cancer, a preventable and treatable disease that still kills more than 300,000 women each year. We are also helping reduce significant gaps in access to life-changing assistive technology such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and eyeglasses in low- and middle-income countries.
As we move forward, our values continue to lead our work through new challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. We are helping our partner governments procure personal protective equipment and other diagnostic and treatment tools, as well as preparing health workers and systems for an eventual vaccine.
At the same time, we know individuals rely on the same health services they did before the pandemic. We are working to ensure they continue to receive the care they need, and that the gains countries have made against other diseases aren’t lost as limited resources turn toward this new crisis.
-CHAI Management
We were able to dramatically transform the situation by demonstrating that if the health system is supported, it is indeed possible to offer hope for people.
- Esther Mtumbuka, Country Director, Tanzania
Infectious Diseases
Four infectious diseases cause over half of all deaths in low- and middle-income countries: HIV, hepatitis, malaria, and tuberculosis. CHAI has built on our work in HIV to address each of these diseases, in partnership with governments, donors, and other key stakeholders.
Infectious Disease Programs
Women and Children’s Health
Women and children suffer the greatest burden from disease globally. Each year, more than 300,000 women die of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, 2.6 million babies are stillborn or die within the first weeks of life, and millions suffer from chronic malnutrition and preventable deaths from diarrhea, pneumonia and other diseases. Working with our partners, CHAI is supporting governments to significantly increase access to essential medicines, vaccines, and other tools they need to survive.
Women and Children’s Health Programs
Universal Health Coverage
Nearly half of the global population is unable to access basic health services. Every year, around 100 million people in low- and middle-income countries are pushed into poverty due to health care costs. As a result, many people who are sick avoid seeking care, leading to worse health outcomes, greater inequity, and spread of disease. CHAI is working with governments to upgrade health systems, build a strong health workforce and ensure sustainable and equitable financing so that all people can access high-quality care, regardless of their economic situation.
Universal Health Coverage Programs
Non-communicable diseases
Each year, 15 million people die from non-communicable diseases between the ages of 30 and 69. Over 85 percent of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks or strokes) account for the most deaths, followed by cancers, respiratory diseases, and diabetes. CHAI began work in this area with the launch of our cancer program in 2015. In 2019, we began to investigate ways to address cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes, building on our experience closing gaps in service provision, especially at the primary care level.
Non-communicable Disease Programs
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you to our many partners and donors for their tireless commitment to saving lives and ensuring that all people, no matter where they live, have access to quality, affordable health services.