Bloomberg and Gates Commit $500 Million and Call on Governments to Implement Proven Interventions to Reduce Tobacco Use, Save Lives
Jump to full article: International Resource Center (CTFK), 2009-01-23
Intro: Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates today announced joint efforts to
combat the global tobacco epidemic. A combined investment of $500 million will help
governments in developing countries implement proven policies and increase funding for
tobacco control. Unless urgent action is taken, as many as one billion people this century Ð more
than two-thirds in the developing world Ð could die from tobacco-caused illnesses. Paula Johns,
executive director of Brazil's Alliance for the Control of Tobacco Use, and broadcast journalist
Charlie Rose joined Bloomberg and Gates for the announcement.
Bloomberg's Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, which was established in 2005 and includes a
$125 million commitment, will be extended with a new $250 million, four-year commitment.
This brings Bloomberg's total commitment to date to more than $375 million.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it will invest $125 million over five years
to fight the tobacco epidemic, including a $24 million grant to the Bloomberg Initiative. In
addition to the grant to Bloomberg, the Gates Foundation will support complementary efforts to
reduce high rates of tobacco use in countries such as China and India, as well as to help prevent
the tobacco epidemic from taking root in Africa. . . .
"When I announced this initiative, I said that I hoped others would step forward," said
Bloomberg. "I'm delighted Bill and Melinda Gates are supporting one of the most important
public health efforts of our time. Our commitments will help governments confront the tobacco
epidemic by implementing the proven MPOWER package . . .
¥ The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use is implemented though five partner
organizations: the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World
Health Organization and the World Lung Foundation.
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