Humza Yousaf pledges £2.5m to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in sub-Saharan Africa

Scotland will become the first high-income country to donate to the WHO and the UN’s Health4Life fund

First Minister Humza Yousaf has pledged to spend £2.5 million on helping to prevent heart attacks, strokes and cancers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr Yousaf is now on day three of a trip to New York to attend Climate Week 2023, and is due to meet with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This will be a historic meeting in New York, as a WHO director general has never met with a First Minister of Scotland before.

First Minister Humza Yousaf. Image: Robert Perry/Press Association.

Later on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly, the First Minister will announce the investment over the next five years into the Health4Life fund, which is run by WHO and the UN to support countries in the global south to build stronger healthcare systems.

This makes Scotland the first high-income country to donate to the Health4Life fund.

The £2.5m investment will come from the Scottish Government’s £11.5m international development fund, and will be spent mainly in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda. All three countries are listed as the Scottish Government’s partner countries.

Speaking ahead of the announcement, Mr Yousaf said: “This is a significant step which cements Scotland’s role as a global champion in tackling non-communicable diseases, and highlights the important contribution we can make when it comes to tackling health emergencies across the world.

“I am very proud to be able to announce our plans to become the first high-income country to contribute to the World Health Organisation’s Health4Life fund. This investment will allow us to support the development of new programmes to improve healthcare and build stronger health systems in Malawi, Zambia, and Rwanda.

“The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2030 non-communicable diseases – such as heart attacks, strokes and cancer – will be the primary cause of death across sub-Saharan Africa, with around 3.8 million premature deaths.

“Scotland has long-standing expertise in delivering action to tackle non-communicable disease domestically, which is why we are well placed to share learning beyond our borders and with partners like WHO.

“The funding that I am confirming today makes Scotland the first high-income country to support the vital Health4Life fund, but I very much hope that we will not be the last.”