Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative Collects More than 28 Million New or Improved Birth and Death Records Since 2015

Through robust partnerships with local governments and global organizations, the Initiative saves and improves lives with better health data collection

Bloomberg Philanthropies makes a $150 million reinvestment and the Gates Foundation contributes an additional $40 million to support the Initiative

New York, NY – Bloomberg Philanthropies announced today the Data for Health Initiative has supported partners to collect 12.2 million birth records and 16.2 million new or improved death records, for a collective 28.4 million new or improved records across 31 countries. Since its inception in 2015, the Data for Health Initiative has partnered with governments in low- and middle-income countries to gather accurate public health data.

Bloomberg Philanthropies announced it will invest an additional $150 million in the Initiative and the Gates Foundation will contribute an additional $40 million investment. The commitments support the continued collection of birth and death data, establishment of cancer registries, training, technical assistance and a new focus on refugee and internally displaced populations. In total, $436 million has been committed to the Initiative since its launch.

Less than half of all deaths across the world are registered with a cause, which has historically led to many health policy decisions being based on inadequate and inaccurate information. The Data for Health Initiative works to strengthen data in low- and middle-income countries on birth and death, as well as risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), so government resources can be refocused to save and improve lives through better-informed public health policies.

“When we launched the Data for Health Initiative nearly a decade ago, we aimed to empower nations with the tools they need to measure and manage major public health challenges – and the results have been encouraging,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and 108th mayor of New York City. “Now, we’re increasing our investment to expand the work of collecting better health data, to help our partners around the world save and improve more lives.”

“Children today are twice as likely as children in the year 2000 were to live past their fifth birthday—thanks in large part to data that help us understand who dies where, and why,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “This is a simple idea, but it’s difficult to execute, especially in remote communities. These investments will help improve data-gathering and, in turn, give us a fuller picture of where and how diseases impact people, so that more children and families can live better, healthier lives.”

Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Gates Foundation have worked together to improve health data over the years, focusing on the importance of gender equity in health data and innovative approaches to ensure all data sources within countries are linked and utilized for health policy impact. This renewed investment will ensure ongoing collaborative efforts toward improving health data systems globally with a specific emphasis on birth and death registration systems. Since 2019, the Gates Foundation has committed more than $60 million to support the Data for Health Initiative.

Bloomberg Philanthropies partners with the CDC Foundation, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Johns Hopkins University, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, World Health Organization, and Vital Strategies to sustain and expand the Initiative. New partners include Pan American Health Organization and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. These partners, alongside local governments, in-country partners, aid organizations and public health leaders, have all been integral to the vast success of the program over the years.

The investments to date have led to meaningful advancements, including:

• Colombia: The Initiative has invested in strengthening the reporting of essential statistics to make them more accessible and easier to use by policymakers. The first interactive vital statistics report created through the program allows users to explore information about births and deaths according to sub-national geographic area, year, sex and age.
• Philippines: The Initiative supported the development of the Data to Policy (D2P) – a training program in the Philippines, which aims to foster a greater connection between health data and policymaking by utilizing relevant data to develop evidence-based recommendations for decision makers. It has been adapted and institutionalized by partners in the Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau as part of their Health Evidence Translation Initiative. With 15 active D2P trainers from across the Department of Health (DOH), the program will be expanded to the regional and local levels to improve local policy decisions.
• Rwanda: Through the Initiative, Rwanda was able to more than quadruple death registration by integrating the health sector and civil registration authorities, scaling up verbal autopsy for community deaths, and institutionalizing the process for reporting mortality data both in the community and health facilities.

For more information about the Data for Health Initiative, please visit www.bloomberg.org/public-health/strengthening-health-data/.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

Media Contact:
Steven Chlapecka, schlapecka@bloomberg.org