MONTRÉAL, July 8, 2024
/CNW/ - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. (Novartis) today
announced the launch of a new health equity initiative, aimed at
addressing health disparities and promoting equitable healthcare
for Canadians. In this open call for ideas, Novartis will award
$500,000 CAD to
non-profit projects focused on improving health equity in three
pivotal areas: social/cultural inclusivity of care, health literacy
and education, and the promotion of health support for immigrants
to Canada.
Despite a publicly funded healthcare system, access to timely
and appropriate care still is challenging for many individuals in
Canada.1 Novartis is
committed to changing this by funding innovative ideas and
approaches that challenge the status quo and improve the overall
health and well-being of Canadians. Improving health equity
requires reducing socioeconomic disparities, promoting culturally
sensitive care, enhancing access to health services and addressing
the specific needs of marginalized populations.
"Our commitment extends beyond the traditional boundaries of
healthcare, and we are working with underserved groups, non-profit
organizations and communities to deliver meaningful and sustainable
change within Canadian society," says Mark
Vineis, Country President Novartis
Canada. "By embracing the power of cross-sector
collaboration, we can create a paradigm shift towards a more
inclusive and equitable healthcare system for all Canadians."
To build skills and capacity to develop the Novartis Health
Equity Initiative, Novartis consulted and received training from
Equity Mobilizing Partnerships in Community (EMPaCT) an
innovative, award-winning model of patient and community engagement
housed at Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Canada. Through a series of
upskilling workshops, EMPaCT instructed on key concepts and
practices identified as critical to run a successful health
equity-focused community investment program, and to orient and
equip staff on the competencies to design an inclusive grant
program. EMPaCT acts as a catalyst for positive change by
providing timely recommendations to projects so that they can
increase health equity.
In a collective statement, the co-founders of EMPaCT, scientist
Dr. Ambreen Sayani and patient
partner Alies Maybee, commented
that, "we need to include diverse people with a variety of
lived/living experiences to create meaningful change in our
society."
How to apply for funding
Novartis Canada warmly welcomes
all organizations that share their passion for advancing health
equity to apply for funding and is committed to uniting and leading
a paradigm shift towards a more inclusive and fair healthcare
system – one that benefits every individual in
Canada.
To find out more information about the initiative and apply for
funding, please visit
https://www.novartis.com/ca-en/esg/novartis-health-equity-initiative.
All applications must be received before
11:59 p.m. PT on
September 15, 2024.
About Novartis
Novartis is a focused innovative medicines company. Every day,
we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives
so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are
empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more
than 250 million people worldwide. Reimagine
medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com and
connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.
In Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs
approximately 600 people to serve the evolving needs of patients
and the healthcare system and invests over $30 million in R&D yearly
in the country. For more information visit www.novartis.ca.
MLR ID FA-11223687
References
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1 Statistics Canada, 2023.
Access to health care.
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SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.