Michael Bloomberg’s extraordinary contribution of nearly a billion dollars to tobacco control
06th December 2016
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Vital Strategies, a global health not-for profit organization, yesterday hailed the decision by Michael Bloomberg to pledge $360 million, in addition to the more than $600 million he has devoted already, to fighting the global tobacco epidemic. This is an extraordinary contribution – of nearly a billion dollars – to combat the primary cause of preventable illness and premature death, of our time.
José Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vital Strategies and NCD Alliance Chair said:
“For the past nine years, Bloomberg’s global funding for tobacco control has enabled countries around the world, and organizations such as Vital Strategies, to help implement proven tobacco control strategies that have the greatest impact. Initiatives benefiting from Bloomberg Philanthropies have helped tobacco users to quit, potential users to decide against starting to use tobacco, and many non-smokers – particularly women and children – to be better protected from the deadly harms of second-hand smoke".
Mr Bloomberg, appointed as the first WHO Global Ambassader for NCDs in August 2016 for a two-years period, has been a leading voice in public health since the early eighties, with successful initatives in tobacco control, nutrition, road safety, and injury prevention.
Read Vital Strategies press release via the link below.