Bristol-Myers Squibb to raise awareness of diabetes

Bristol-Myers Squibb has joined forces with the Morehouse School of Medicine to create the Morehouse School of Medicine/Bristol-Myers Squbb Foundation Partnership for Equity in Diabetes.

The partnership will be based at Morehouse School of Medicine's National Centre for Primary Care in Atlanta, with the partnership set to be funded through a five-year $2.1 million (£1.36 million) grant from the Foundation.

As part of the move, successful models and best practices from the Foundation's Together on Diabetes initiative will be shared, with the project so far providing $44.4 million in funding to grantees that are developing, implementing and evaluating community-based care.

The partnership has emerged during National Minority Health Month, which aims to call for action to reduce health disparities.

John L. Damonti, president of Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, said: "Given the devastating impact of diabetes on minorities, the elderly and the poor, there is great urgency to both figure out what works and to share and scale those solutions.

"We are fortunate to partner in this work with Morehouse School of Medicine, which is a constant and transformative force in creating health equity in the United States."

George Rust, professor of family medicine and director at NCPC, Morehouse School of Medicine, explained that the grant and formation of the Partnership for Equity in Diabetes offers a "strategic opportunity" to celebrate what works in the country's diverse communities.

The partnership is hoping to capture, spread and replicate success from Together on Diabetes grantees through three core activities.

It will provide an online learn-share-connect portal, along with a resource centre for training and implementation support, while there will also be the identification and mobilisation of five implementation experts from the base of grantees to help other communities.

From late 2014, there will also be the recruitment and engagement of ten to 12 community coalitions in order to implement successful models of clinic and community care and support.

Posted by Neil Clark