The Oxford Health Alliance is a registered charity, no. 1117580, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (registered company number 5444447). Its registered office is 28 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8RZ, UK.
Introduction to OxHA
We now know that prevention of unhealthy behaviours, with regard to diet, exercise and tobacco consumption, is critical in confronting the pandemic growth of chronic disease.
These illnesses rob individuals of healthy years of life and have the potential to devastate whole societies. Chronic diseases are increasingly undermining prospects for a stable future, especially in lower- and middle-income countries and the poorer segments of society in the developed world. Broad-based preventive efforts must be launched now, while we still have time.
The Oxford Health Alliance enables experts and activists from different backgrounds to collaborate in order to raise awareness and change behaviours, policies and perspectives at every level of society. Alliance members from around the world include leading academics, activists and corporate executives, patients' rights advocates, doctors, nurses and others, all of whom share a sense of urgency about the worldwide epidemic of chronic disease. Our first goal is to raise awareness among influencers and educate critical decision-makers so that the pressing case for preventative measures can advance, and we can begin to combat chronic disease.
Who is involved?
OxHA was formed in 2003 as a partnership between Oxford University and Novo Nordisk A/S. Many stakeholders are involved in both the causes and solutions. The original participants in the Oxford Health Alliance, representing the breadth of parties involved, first met at the OxfordVision 2020 summit in December 2003.
Why is the Oxford Health Alliance needed?
Public health priorities and the attention of most media, public funding bodies and people at large are primarily focused on the scourges of AIDS, TB and malaria. And yet, 50% of people in the world die due to four chronic diseases: CVD, diabetes, chronic lung diseases and some cancers, which are linked to three risk factors: tobacco use, poor diet and lack of physical activity.
The projected numbers for the year 2020 are frightening, putting an impossible burden on people and healthcare systems alike. If the current spiral continues unabated 400 million people, or one in ten of the world's population, will be suffering from diabetes alone by 2020.
In all, we will act to bring on board as many companies, governments and organisations that can make a difference, thus providing the alliances that can truly execute the new WHO strategy against chronic diseases.
Supporting OxHA
Click here >> for details of the support OxHA receives, and how you or your organisation can help with our work.