WHO Foundation and Laerdal Global Health Announce Major Emergency Care Expansion

On May 20, 2025, during the World Health Assembly held in Geneva, a landmark announcement was made by the WHO Foundation and Laerdal Global Health. Together, they have committed $12.5 million to launch a massive expansion of emergency care in selected African countries with the aim of saving over 50,000 lives annually. This philanthropic partnership aims to tackle the high mortality rates that occur due to inadequate emergency services in low- and middle-income countries, where more than half of deaths could potentially be prevented with effective emergency care.

The funds will be used to enhance acute care training for health workers in 400 hospitals across three African nations. This initiative also includes specially designed training kits to facilitate continuous on-the-job training. The emergency care program, known as Basic Emergency Care (BEC), was developed in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the International Red Cross Committee and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. Since then, tens of thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained through this program in over 60 countries.

Studies have shown that implementing the BEC program in hospitals in Africa and Asia has led to a reduction in mortality from acute illnesses - such as pneumonia, traffic accidents, diabetic crises, and postpartum hemorrhage - by 34% to 50%. Tore Laerdal, the founder of Laerdal Global Health, stated, "We know that the Basic Emergency Care program can reduce mortality from a variety of acute illnesses by up to 50%. We have been privileged to collaborate with the WHO and other vital organizations in developing a new course model that utilizes simpler and more affordable training materials, allowing for continuous update sessions in each hospital."

Bruce Aylward, WHO's Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage, emphasized the importance of robust health systems and supporting healthcare workers in delivering effective acute care. He noted, "Strengthening health systems and supporting healthcare workers to provide effective acute care is essential for universal health coverage and global health security. This support to expand the Basic Emergency Care program, especially during these resource-scarce times, will have a global impact."

In a time when global health funding is under threat, WHO Foundation chair Thomas Zeltner acknowledged Laerdal Global Health’s sizeable contribution. He invited others to join the Lifeline Acute Care Action Fund to bolster the expansion of BEC across regions, including humanitarian contexts that could save millions of lives.

Laerdal Global Health is a non-profit organization committed to saving lives in resource-poor settings. It develops simple, scalable, and locally adaptable solutions for training healthcare personnel and clinical care, aiding countries in improving outcomes for mothers, newborns, and individuals affected by trauma, sepsis, and other acute conditions.

The organization works closely with governments and global and local partners, providing frontline professionals with the tools, skills, and confidence they need. Laerdal Global Health is part of the Laerdal group, an organization with the shared mission of saving one million more lives each year by 2030.

The WHO Foundation, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent organization that grants funds and supports the mission of the World Health Organization. It mobilizes philanthropic capital and builds catalytic partnerships to address the world’s most pressing health challenges, particularly for vulnerable communities. This initiative marks a significant step forward in improving emergency care training and, consequently, health outcomes in regions where it is critically needed.