New initiative in the fight against poverty related diseases

The Eurolife Network of European Universities in Life Sciences has announced an important new initiative in the fight against poverty related diseases - the Eurolife International Health Alliance.

This brings together the expertise of seven of Europe´s leading Universities in an alliance aimed at promoting improved health for the most under-privileged around the world.

Much of the disease burden facing developing communities around the world are avoidable and the goal of this alliance is to provide a leadership role in reducing the incidence of such diseases. The seven universities of the network are uniquely positioned to make a significant contribution to reducing poverty related disease, given their expertise in health science research and education, care delivery, policy research and health economics.

Develop innovative solutions

The objectives of the Eurolife International Health Alliance are to develop innovative solutions for tackling poverty related health deficits by using our strengths in education and training, research, health care policy and health care delivery. A key feature of the alliance policy will be in building local capacity to deal with international health issues in less developed nations, by investing in training and education and in infrastructure.

The representatives of the alliance emphasise the scale of the problem and the need for cooperation to effect change. Without significant investment in these areas, the problems will get worse rather than better; the fight against the global burden of malaria, pneumonia, HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis and other neglected diseases requires adequate resources allocation and strengthening of health systems and policies in endemic countries; the good news is that this can be arrested and reversed but the scale of the problem requires that we pool high resources and work together.

Eurolife partners already have significant programmes in the area of International Health, for example Karolinska Institutet Centre for Global Health, example the Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Universitat de Barcelona and the Centre for International Public Health Policy in Edinburgh. This is allied to extensive linkages in the developing world, with partner institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

• More information at eurolifeuniversities.org

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