THE APEX TIMES
Convatec and the Lilly Foundation pledge about $5 million for Partners In Health to strengthen care for chronic disease
The new funding targets non-communicable diseases and other long-term conditions in primary and community health settings, with emphasis on community health workers and referral pathways.
Convatec and the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation have committed about $5 million to Partners In Health (PIH), an international nonprofit, to help expand how non-communicable diseases and other chronic conditions are prevented, diagnosed, and managed in resource-limited communities, according to an announcement circulated by financial news outlets.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) include long-term conditions such as heart and metabolic disorders, and PIH said the effort will cover cardiometabolic health and mental health alongside other chronic needs. The program is designed to push integrated “models of care” into primary and community health systems, rather than treating chronic disease as separate, stand-alone services.
Convatec described the pledge as the next phase of its collaboration with PIH, building on work that has already reached more than 300,000 people since 2023. The focus for the new phase, the announcement said, will be on scaling training and deployment of community health workers (CHWs), expanding locally delivered care for people living with chronic conditions, and strengthening referral pathways within health systems so patients can be directed to appropriate higher-acuity services when needed.
Community health workers are frontline workers who help bridge gaps between clinics and communities, often supporting screening, education, follow-up, and navigation of care. Convatec and PIH’s emphasis on CHWs suggests the companies are betting on workforce and care-delivery infrastructure as a lever to improve outcomes for chronic disease in settings where specialist availability is limited.
The announcement also tied the funding to the legacy of Karim Bitar, Convatec’s former chief executive officer who died in October 2025. The companies said the initiative reflects Bitar’s belief in long-term partnerships and collective action in healthcare.
For Lilly, the Foundation commitment is framed as part of its philanthropic approach. The Eli Lilly and Company Foundation is described in the announcement as a tax-exempt private foundation supported by donations from Eli Lilly and Company, and the funding is intended to “embed” sustainable approaches as healthcare systems shift over time.
While the announcement outlines goals and program components, it does not provide a detailed geographic list, a timetable for milestones, or specific outcome targets such as reductions in hospitalizations or improvements in clinical metrics. It also does not disclose how the funding will be allocated across CHW training, health-system strengthening, and other support activities beyond a broad description.
The next thing to watch is whether Convatec and PIH publish further details on implementation, including which countries or health networks will be prioritized, what training standards CHWs will follow, and what indicators will be used to measure progress in integrated NCD and chronic-care delivery.
Why It Matters
- Chronic diseases are increasingly a strain on healthcare systems, and funding that targets delivery infrastructure, such as CHWs and referrals, can announcement where major health companies see durable impact.
- If the partnership demonstrates results, it could strengthen the case for integrated primary-care approaches that bundle screening, follow-up, and escalation pathways for NCDs.
- The collaboration highlights a common strategy in global health: pairing philanthropic funding with industry expertise in chronic-condition management.
- The pledge’s lack of disclosed outcome metrics may limit near-term comparability to other programs, but it also suggests the work may emphasize systems-building over short-term metrics.
Sources
Key Facts
- Convatec and the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation have committed about $5 million to Partners In Health for chronic disease care integration.
- The program focuses on non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions, including cardiometabolic and mental health needs.
- The initiative aims to scale integrated care models in primary and community health systems in resource-limited settings.
- Convatec said the effort builds on collaboration begun in 2023, reaching more than 300,000 people.
- A key part of the next phase will scale training and deployment of community health workers and strengthen referral pathways within health systems.
- The companies framed the pledge as honoring Convatec’s former CEO Karim Bitar, who died in October 2025.
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