Resolve to Save Lives

Resolve to Save Lives
Name	Resolve to Save Lives
Formation	2017
Founder	Tom Frieden
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	Global
Leader title	President
Leader name	Tom Frieden

Resolve to Save Lives is an international public health initiative focused on preventing cardiovascular disease, controlling epidemics, and strengthening public health systems. Founded by public health leader Tom Frieden, the organization emphasizes evidence-based interventions, data-driven policy, and partnerships with governmental and nongovernmental institutions. It works across multiple continents to reduce deaths from heart disease, stroke, and infectious disease outbreaks through technical assistance, advocacy, and pilot programs.

History and founding

The initiative was established in 2017 by Tom Frieden, who previously served as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Its founding drew on experiences from major public health events such as the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, and longstanding efforts like the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Early support and visibility were influenced by connections to institutions including the World Health Organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and academic centers such as Columbia University and Yale University. The organization built on historical precedents from initiatives like the American Heart Association campaigns and the Framingham Heart Study to prioritize prevention strategies targeting cardiovascular risk factors.

Mission and objectives

The stated mission focuses on reducing premature death from cardiovascular disease and preventing epidemics through practical interventions. Objectives include scaling proven measures from initiatives like WHO HEARTS technical package, promoting sodium reduction similar to efforts led by Public Health England and the Pan American Health Organization, and improving acute care systems reminiscent of reforms in the United Kingdom National Health Service. The initiative advocates for policies aligned with frameworks from the United Nations and the World Bank to influence national noncommunicable disease commitments and emergency preparedness plans modeled after the Global Health Security Agenda.

Programs and initiatives

Key programs emphasize cardiovascular disease prevention, epidemic preparedness, and data systems. Cardiovascular efforts promote population-wide sodium reduction and expanded access to antihypertensive therapy using models from the Million Hearts initiative and the INTERHEART Study. Epidemic preparedness work includes strengthening surveillance and laboratory networks similar to capacities developed through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. Pilot projects have been implemented in collaboration with ministries in countries such as India, Ethiopia, and Mexico, drawing on implementation science from partnerships with Harvard University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Imperial College London.

Partnerships and funding

The organization collaborates with national ministries of health, multilateral agencies, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions. Notable collaborations have involved the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and national agencies like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India) and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute. Funding sources include philanthropic donors and foundations comparable to the Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Gates Foundation, and private benefactors who support global health initiatives. Technical alliances have been formed with research partners including Stanford University, University of Oxford, and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Impact and evaluation

Evaluation leverages metrics from global monitoring frameworks such as the Global Burden of Disease study and targets aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Reported impacts include measurable reductions in population sodium consumption in pilot regions, improved hypertension control rates using standardized treatment protocols, and enhanced laboratory and surveillance capacities in select countries. Independent assessments often reference methodologies used by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and programmatic reviews similar to evaluations by the World Bank and multilateral development banks. Ongoing monitoring seeks to attribute changes to interventions amid confounding influences like economic transitions and concurrent initiatives from entities such as Médecins Sans Frontières.

Governance and leadership

Leadership is centered on Tom Frieden, supported by a board and technical advisory groups drawing expertise from public health leaders with experience at institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and major universities. Advisory membership has included experts affiliated with Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Emory University, and international health agencies. Governance structures emphasize transparency, external peer review, and coordination with national health authorities and global partners such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Category:Non-profit organizations Category:Public health organizations Category:Global health