Q.
What is the Decade of Health all about?
A.
This campaign shows how the UK’s work in science and innovation is helping solve the world’s greatest health challenges. We want our vision of the future to become a reality by showing what’s possible if we continue to work together to improve health worldwide. And we want this campaign to reach people across the country and for them to get behind this life-saving work being led by people all across the UK.
The reason we’re doing this is because as Covid-19 has proven, we’ll never be safe from the dangers of diseases unless the whole world is. Diseases don’t respect borders and a health crisis anywhere can become a health crisis everywhere. We want to show how people across the UK are working together with the rest of the world to save and improve lives, starting with COVID-19 but extending to a range of other health issues, like making childbirth safer and reducing deaths from preventable diseases. By sharing our knowledge, skills, and expertise on Covid-19 and on other health issues, we can build a healthier, stronger and safer future for us all.
Q.
So what are you doing?
A.
This year, people in the UK have shown fantastic support for local health workers and local communities. We want to extend this support for what the UK is doing on a global scale to improve health.
• We want to build support for how our country’s expertise is helping to solve the world’s greatest health challenges everywhere.
• We want to create a network of champions who will celebrate the UK’s work on health, science and innovation around the world.
• We want to raise understanding of why collaborating on health issues around the world makes us all stronger and safer.
Q.
What do you want me to do?
A.
We’d love you to:
• Learn more about global health and how the UK is leading the way in creating a healthier future for all.
• Support the UK continuing to share its knowledge, skills and expertise with the rest of the world.
• Share facts, information and content with your family and friends.
Q.
Who is behind the Decade of Health?
A.
The Decade of Health is led by a group of organisations who share the same goal of improving the health and wellbeing of people everywhere. You will have heard of some of us before, but others you may not yet be aware of.
The organisations include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Malaria No More, Save the Children, UNICEF UK, ONE, Global Citizen and the Wellcome Trust.
Q.
Why Now?
A.
COVID-19 is making life tough for so many here in the UK and around the world. But if the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that that we need to be more prepared to quickly tackle situations like these in the future. And that if we work with other countries, we can create a stronger, safer future for global health, and improve health for everyone.
The Decade of Health is an effort to keep that sense of urgency going by encouraging ongoing collaboration and commitment. We have some great examples through history – like the eradication of smallpox and the incredible reduction in child death rates in the past 25 years – to show us that we can make progress on our health goals but we can’t wait and we can’t do it alone.