The 100&Change competition is for a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world’s most critical social challenges. The third round of 100&Change remains open to organizations and collaborations working in any field, anywhere in the world. Proposals must identify a problem and offer a solution that promises significant and durable change.

Title

Accelerating the Control of Cardiovascular Diseases in Africa (ACCorD-Africa)

Description

Implement population-wide evidence-based multidisciplinary, multisectoral, multigenerational, multi-SDG intervention packages enhanced by digital tools (mobile health) to accelerate the control of cardiovascular diseases in Africa

Executive Summary

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly hypertension, are devastating public health crises and the leading cause of deaths in Africa.1 Despite having the highest prevalence of hypertension(46% of adults, >250 million people), control rates remain abysmally low with 93% cases uncontrolled 2, 3 resulting in massive disabling stroke burden (6 Africans/minute) decimating the workforce.4-6 Over the past 3 decades, little progress has been made in hypertension control in Africa despite several interventions.2, 3 Consequently, the University of Ibadan led the co-creation of a more effective multisectoral intervention package targeted at controlling hypertension and other CVDs in Africa.7-11

The tailored WHO-HEARTS package enhances CVD management focussing on hypertension control at the primary health care (PHC) level.12 To enable African countries establish WHO-HEARTS multisectoral multigenerational implementation ecosystems, researchers from the University of Ibadan, with support from NGOs, WHO and Ministries of Health, established a consortium in 2023 and set targets to control CVDs in Africa.2, 3, 9-11 So far, ~380,000 people have been treated with improved hypertension control rates.13

Moreover, University of Ibadan researchers developed a scalable intervention (Afrocentric stroke-Risk Calculator-mobile phone app and video-Cartoon) which significantly improved hypertension and overall stroke risk factor control.14-16 The goal of this proposal is to combine the app and the WHO-HEARTS package to accelerate the control of hypertension in half of those affected by 2030.2, 3, 17 Using a multidisciplinary multi-SDG whole-of-society approach to improve the control of CVDs in 250 million people will substantially reduce related deaths and facilitate sustainable development in Africa.