IFC Health

"Cost-effective nutrition interventions are also a critical pathway to reach our ambitious goal of helping countries deliver quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030," from Axel van Trotsenburg's op-ed on the role of high-value nutrition in advancing universal health coverage published by The World Bank. Read it here: https://wrld.bg/2iM150VrEJZ

#Asia’s shifting demographics are reshaping financial resilience, #healthcare access, and lifelong well-being. How can #innovation help societies thrive in this transformation? The Innovating for Asia’s Demographic Future Challenge, launched by UpLink - World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Manulife and the Forum’s Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems, is seeking start-ups driving solutions in these critical areas. Manulife will give C$200,000 in prize money split among 3 of the winning innovators. Additionally, all challenge winners will join?UpLink’s?Longevity Innovation Ecosystem with access to exclusive networking events, partnerships, visibility and funding opportunities. Do you have a solution to shape Asia’s demographic future? Apply now: https://ow.ly/EJ9e50VoJ2F

A NATIONAL POSTAL SERVICE DOES HEALTH I had insights this week into what La Poste France are doing in the health space. Yes the national postal service does health. I have talked before about how we need innovative thinking in the health sector. I think what La Poste is doing is a good example. I appreciate all might not be perfect (nothing ever is) but the impact and benefits are huge. Can it be replicated elsewhere ? La Poste France has cleverly expanded its role in the healthcare sector, leveraging its expertise in logistics, digital services, and proximity to improve patient care. In summary - La Poste Santé & Autonomie focuses on home health services, including delivery of medicines, medical equipment installation, and telecare solutions. - Through its subsidiary Docaposte, La Poste provides secure health data hosting and AI-powered platforms for telehealth and patient data management - Services like Happytal offer concierge support in hospitals, simplifying administrative tasks and enhancing patient well-being during hospitalization. - Collaborations with Medtronic and other health tech companies aim to optimize care pathways using AI and digital tools. - By combining human services with digital tools, La Poste ensures seamless healthcare access, particularly for elderly or remote populations. - Innovations like AI-driven platforms streamline care delivery and reduce hospital burdens. - Services such as Happytal provide tailored solutions for patients during and after hospitalization. For me it outlined; - Combining logistics expertise with digital health solutions can transform healthcare delivery. - Leveraging a trusted network enhances service accessibility. - Partnerships between public entities and private health tech firms can drive innovation. I am sure there have been challenges and lessons. For example; - Managing sensitive health data requires strict adherence to privacy laws like GDPR. - Expanding coverage while maintaining quality is complex. - Addressing systemic shortages in medical staff remains critical. From my perspective, La Poste’s healthcare initiatives highlight the potential of blending logistics, technology, and human services to improve patient outcomes while navigating challenges of scalability and regulation.

#Switzerland has topped the Global Innovation Index for the 14th year in a row. New #technologies and wider #digital access are driving #transformation in #businesses across the world. Learn more about how #jobs and #skills will evolve in coming years in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report:?https://ow.ly/GH0550VmjR5 #Innovation #Patents

Civil society organisations play a unique and vital role in supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s mission to leave no-one behind with immunisation. I met with global health champions and experts from the Government of Canada and Canadian Civil Society Organisations including The ONE Campaign, Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH), Results Canada, and Global Citizen.

Expanding opportunities for women is a powerful catalyst for economic growth and development. Last week, at a United Nations event, IFC’s Sanola A. Daley spoke about our role in supporting opportunities in healthcare that help women and economies succeed. Among other things, IFC has:? ?? Committed $916 million in fiscal year 2024 to the Health, Education, and Life Sciences sectors, with a corporate target that at least 40 percent of all long-term financing investments should provide opportunities for women. IFC has already achieved 67 percent of our goal for this fiscal year: ?? Helped pharmaceutical companies improve opportunities for women. In early 2025, Laboratorios Siegfried S.A.S, a leading Latin American pharmaceutical company, achieved the EDGEplus Move Gender Certification for their commitment to fostering more opportunities for women in the workplace. The company was previously certified at the Assess level in 2022. Siegfried is the only pharma company in Latin America to obtain this recognition and only the third in the world. ?? Raised awareness of the importance of women in healthcare leadership roles. In 2021, IFC launched the Women’s Leadership in Healthcare Working Group, a global community of 17 healthcare clients. Today, more than 169 organizations and over 400 attendees have participated in valuable knowledge-sharing events on improving women’s leadership in healthcare.? Thank you to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and partners for bringing together high-level government officials, UN member state delegates, private sector players, and civil society organizations to explore how strategic investments can advance women’s health and empowerment. Together, we will drive meaningful change through collaboration, innovation, and sustainable financing. Farid Fezoua I Zeynep Kantur Ozenci I Nigina Muntean I Sanskriti Thakur I Prof Zoe Wainer I ? ? ?

Could disease-fighting antigens produced in a type of fungus accelerate how quickly protein-based vaccines are developed? CEPI is providing US$4.5 million to Italy's Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena for proof-of-concept research that will explore whether producing antigens in C1 filamentous fungus—applying technology owned by Dyadic International, Inc.—is a faster and cost-effective alternative to the more established route of producing antigens in mammalian cells.? The partnership supports the?100 Days Mission—a goal embraced by leaders of the G7 and G20 to reduce vaccine development timelines to a little over three months in response to a pandemic threat. Learn more ?? https://lnkd.in/ekAjnCyC

?? Introducing the Africa Public Health Podcast, a new platform from Africa CDC bringing you expert insights on key health security issues across the continent! This series features leading African scientists and researchers as they unpack critical public health topics and the latest developments in research. Stay informed with reliable, in-depth conversations on the issues shaping Africa’s health landscape. Our first episode drops this week—stay tuned! https://lnkd.in/g8A5dXSx #AfricaCDC #AfricaPublicHealthPodcast

Interesting opportunity to join a discussion on integrating private pharmaceutical distribution into public health systems.

I am incredibly proud of the work IFC has been doing to close gaps in global healthcare delivery. Our mission is to bring innovation, efficiency, and capital to help low- and middle-income countries address challenges in achieving health quality and security with unyielding ethics and integrity. Today, most developing countries face disparities in healthcare supply and demand, a rapid rise in non-communicable diseases, and a persistent threat of future health emergencies. Collaboration with the private sector strengthens local supply chains, fosters integrated care, and brings life-saving technologies that have a tremendous impact on the standard of care communities can access. ? IFC is a catalyst for impactful change in healthcare and a trusted partner. ? I invite you to learn more about IFC’s approach to investing in private healthcare here: https://lnkd.in/dxyR359i IFC - International Finance Corporation #IFCHealth