Over half of deaths in low-and middle-income countries - nearly 30 million deaths each year- could be addressed with effective emergency care. During a side event at the seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, a philanthropic partnership was launched that represents a significant step in impacting this burden: the Acute Care Transformation initiative.
On Tuesday, 20 May 2025, Tore Laerdal and WHO Foundation Chair, Thomas Zeltner announced a US $12.5 million commitment from Laerdal Global Health. This contribution includes support for WHO Basic Emergency Care training in 400 hospitals across three African countries, as well as specially designed training kits for ongoing workplace-based training.
In association with this core commitment, the WHO Foundation and Laerdal Global Health have also established a funding consortium – Lifeline: the Acute Care Action Fund – and are already in active discussions with other private and public partners to reach a total of $25M to bring this program to 1,000 hospitals in five or more countries, saving an estimated 50,000 lives every year.
The Basic Emergency Care (BEC) program was developed in 2016 by WHO, with the collaboration of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. Since that time, tens of thousands of health workers have been trained in BEC across more than 60 countries.
"Strengthening health systems and supporting health workers to deliver effective acute care is essential to UHC and health security. This support to bring the Basic Emergency Care program to scale— particularly at this time of constricting resources— will have critical impact around the world," said Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage, Life Course.
Prior studies in first level hospitals across Africa and Asia showed a 34 to 50 percent reduction in mortality from acute conditions –- including pneumonia, road injuries, diabetic crisis and post-partum haemorrhage – following the implementation of the BEC program.
In response to the 2023 WHA resolution on strengthening Integrated Emergency, Critical, and Operative care (ECO) , WHO launched the Acute Care Action Network (ACAN) bringing together nearly 80 organizations dedicated to improving acute care across the globe. ACAN has identified BEC implementation as a key priority, and participant organizations have committed to help scale this important intervention.
This effort will be a key part of the upcoming Global strategy for integrated emergency, critical and operative care 2026-2035 to be presented to the World Health Assembly in 2026.
