About Us

The Astellas Global Health Foundation is an international philanthropic organization dedicated to making a sustainable impact on the health of people around the world and building toward “One World, A Healthier Tomorrow.” Launched in November 2018, the Astellas Global Health Foundation supports initiatives in the most underserved communities within low- and middle-income countries where Astellas does not have a business presence.

Our specific areas of focus include:

  1. Improving access to health: The Astellas Global Health Foundation provides grants to strengthen health infrastructure as well as enhance availability of healthcare for: (1) mental health; (2) neglected tropical and communicable diseases (such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, among others); and (3) children’s health; to help make a positive long-term impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations. In December 2019, the Astellas Global Health Foundation announced its first grant since the Foundation’s inception, awarding $750,000 to the END Fund, a renowned philanthropic organization combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) worldwide. Learn more here.

  2. Building community resilience: The Astellas Global Health Foundation provides funding to create community resilience in vulnerable areas by proactively tackling major health challenges and minimizing avoidable deaths through proactive infrastructure strengthening, systems improvements and training initiatives.

  3. Providing disaster support: The Astellas Global Health Foundation is also committed to providing disaster support in vulnerable areas to help improve: (1) preparedness, surveillance and response and reduce suffering caused by natural disasters (e.g., creating data and information collection systems that will monitor health risks posed by natural disasters); (2) biological emergencies (surveillance and monitoring of potential health threats, such as SARS, influenza and cholera); and, (3) initiatives that otherwise provide disaster support through preparedness, surveillance and/or response.

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) made a bold commitment: WHO and like-minded organizations will work to reach zero deaths from avoidable deaths due to diseases. The Astellas Global Health Foundation joins this mission to end epidemics for the most neglected among us by the year 2030. Join us in building One World, A Healthier Tomorrow.

*The Astellas Global Health Foundation merged three Astellas philanthropic entities in November 2018 – the Astellas USA Foundation (AUSF), the Astellas European Foundation (AEF), and the Astellas Asia-Oceanic Foundation (AAOF) into one organization.

Our Focus

The Astellas Global Health Foundation seeks to address the challenges of improving access to health, building resilient communities, and providing disaster relief for significantly underserved communities in low- and middle-income countries where Astellas does not have a business presence.

The Astellas Global Health Foundation is currently providing funding to improve access to health in 3 key areas of concentration outlined below. Additionally, the Astellas Global Health Foundation will fund programs that build community resilience and provide disaster preparedness support.

Neglected Tropical Disease and Communicable Disease Care and Treatment

Partnering with organizations like the END Fund to improve access to treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in support of WHO goals for control and elimination of NTDs in low-income populations.

The Astellas Global Health Foundation contributed to the END Fund in 2019 to combat neglected tropical diseases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The END Fund is using the investment to create systems designed to control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases in a country that is faced with one of the highest burdens of NTDs in the world.

The Astellas Global Health Foundation also aims to combat communicable diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria) that are prevalent in developing countries and low-income populations. Stay tuned for additional funding updates.

100% OF LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES ARE AFFECTED BY AT LEAST FIVE NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES SIMULTANEOUSLY

WHO Infectious Diseases: www.who.int/topics/infectious_diseases/en/

75% of those affected by mental, neurological
and substance use disorders in many
low-income countries do not have access to
the treatment they need

WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP):
www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en

Mental Health

Improving access to mental health for low-income patients and caregivers in low- and middle-income countries, addressing the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and related conditions.

The Foundation seeks to partner with organizations to help improve access to mental health services for patients and caregivers. With the growing prevalence of mental illness among some of the most vulnerable populations, the Foundation seeks to address the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment of mental illness which can occur co-morbidly. Stay tuned for funding updates.

Children’s Health

Providing grants to organizations that, for example, help improve access to medicines, nutrition, vaccines and other measures to children in need.

Through its support, the Foundation seeks to have long-term impact on the health of children given the high child mortality rates in low- and middle-income communities. Stay tuned for funding updates.

Access to simple, affordable interventions
could have saved the lives of more than
3.1 million children in 2017

WHO Factsheet: Children: reducing mortality www.who.int/news-room/
fact-sheets/detail/children-reducing-morality