World Lung Foundation

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = World Lung Foundation
Non-profit_
founded_date = 2004, New York City, New York, United States
location = New York City, New York
area_served = Global
focus = Public Health
method = Capacity Building, Education, Research
homepage = [http://www.worldlungfoundation.org/ www.worldlungfoundation.org]

World Lung Foundation (WLF) is a non-profit organization that was established in response to the global epidemic of lung disease, which kills 10 million people each year. More specifically, the organization’s mission is to improve international lung health by building local capacity to conduct research, develop public policy, and deliver public health education.

Activities

WLF develops projects and raises funds in support of organizations and agencies that are working to improve global lung health. Nearly all of WLF’s work is in low and middle-income countries. The foundation supports a diverse range of projects including:

Research
* Economic Analysis
* Scientific Conferences
* Pilot Treatment Programs

Public Health Policy
* Policy Research
* Policy Communications
* Advocacy

Capacity Building
*Management/Operations Training
*Technology Transfer
*Infrastructure Development

Public Health Education
*Community Programs
*Practitioner Training
*Mass Media Campaigns

Offices and locations

Headquarters

New York City

Team Based

Beijing, Delhi, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Sydney

Project Locations

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Recent projects

Bloomberg Initiative

In 2006 WLF was selected as a global partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use in low and middle income countries. This work is critical because tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death globally and its use kills five million people a year. WLF works in partnership with the World Health Organization, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, CDC Foundation, the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health to address the tobacco crisis in countries such as China, India, Russia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, where most of the world’s smokers live. On July 23rd, 2008 it was announced that WLF would be one of the recipients of a $375 million enhancement of the Bloomber Initiative from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/health/24tobacco.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin | Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort] ]

Management Training

In 2007, WLF, in conjunction with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease held 16 management training for more than 200 leaders of tobacco control organizations and governments. Attendees have now started dozens of strategic tobacco control initiatives around the world.

Tanzania

In 2007, WLF funded a pilot project to improve the basic infrastructure of clinics and hospitals in rural Tanzania. At the end of the first year, three clinics were upgraded, three new operating rooms were built in existing hospitals, three existing maternity wards were renovated, and 26 new staff houses were built. WLF estimates that at least 350 fewer women will die in childbirth each year and 1,500 fewer infants will die in the days following birth.

Philippines

In March 2008, the Tropical Disease Foundation, a WLF grantee in Manila opened the first International Tuberculosis Center in Asia to combat Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB). The state-of-the-art facility will provide treatment, research, training and a steady supply of much-needed medications in the Philippines and across Asia. Since its opening, dozens of clinicians from around the world have been trained on the best prevention, diagnosis and treatment techniques for one of the most dangerous and fastest growing forms of the disease.

References