Vital Strategies

Going to NYC for #UNGA? Join us for a #VitalTalks event where we’ll explore how #HealthTaxes can reduce the use of unhealthy products, improve health outcomes and generate revenue for governments.
🗓️ September 23, 2025
🕓 3:30 - 5:30pm EDT
📍 15 W 39th Street, NYC

RSVP today!
👉 vitalstrat.org/3UiusqM

Here are four expert insights from the discussion on health taxes surrounding our new publication: The Future of Health Financing in Africa: The Role of Health Taxes.

Do you think health taxes are important?
Read the report: vitalstrat.org/4odCoXV

Tag along with our Summer Associates and graduate public health students, Marie Josiane Moukoury and Gurvir Singh Sidhu, as they attend the UN High-Level Political Forum (#HLPF) for the first time.

Health Taxes Offer Solution To Africa’s ‘Burning Platform’ Of NCDs - Health Policy Watch Taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks offer African countries the opportunity to regain their “sovereignty” in response to the collapse of donor

Health Taxes Offer Solution to Africa’s ‘Burning Platform’ of NCDs - @vitalstrategies.org

“Low & middle-income countries are at risk of losing up to $21 trillion by 2030 if no action is taken on the prevention & control of NCDs,” Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet.

✍️ @kerrycullinan.bsky.social

Subir los impuestos al tabaco, el alcohol y las bebidas azucaradas en África: un triple salvavidas en tiempos de recortes a la ayuda al desarrollo Un informe llama a los gobiernos del continente a mejorar la recaudación de tributos para invertirla en los sistemas de salud, reducir muertes prevenibles y ahorrar en los costes que generan las enfer...

Our report, The Future of Health Financing in Africa: The Role of Health Taxes, is featured in @elpais.com, which describes health taxes as a “triple lifesaver”.

Taxing tobacco, alcohol & sugary drinks could save millions of lives across Africa. vitalstrat.org/4lU15ax

The Global Grants Program held its first Digital Strategies Convening in Nairobi, uniting teams from 13 countries to advance digital CRVS system development and data use for public health, as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies #Data4Health Initiative.

New report on the role of health taxes in Africa’s future.

As #NCDs surge, health taxes are a proven way to save lives. See how targeted taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks can reduce harmful consumption, generate revenue and ease pressure on health systems.

vitalstrat.org/4odCoXV

#Medellín, Colombia has launched its smoke-free spaces strategy, starting in schools! It combines education, signage & youth engagement to build a healthier city. We’re proud to work with Medellín to advance public health and #BeatNCDs via #Cities4Health: vitalstrat.org/4few8LJ

#CiudadesSaludables

As part of our Health Equity #ThroughHerLens campaign, our CEO, @jayiyer.bsky.social, spoke with Dr Mary-Ann Etiebet, President & CEO of @vitalstrategies.org, about what it takes to make #HealthSystems work better for women & girls everywhere. Read the conversation➡️ bit.ly/4melWoM #WomensHealth

By 2030, 90% of deaths in LMICs will be among adults, but many go uncounted. The UNESCAP-led Measuring Adult Mortality Community, part of Bloomberg Philanthropies #Data4Health, is working with governments to close this gap.

More via @who.int: vitalstrat.org/4kQfanV

ALERT: World leaders meet in Sept. to adopt a UN Declaration on #NCDs - diseases that kill 40M+ each year. But industry influence is weakening the declaration. Govts must put health over profit. Read our statement on 7 key areas where commitments must be restored: vitalstrat.org/3H4wo30

Health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks are a proven tool to improve public health and strengthen health systems.

Join us on July 29 for a virtual briefing on a new publication: The Future of Health Financing in Africa: The Role of Health Taxes.

Register now: vitalstrat.org/44Qgj8U

Smoking avatars and online games: how big tobacco targets young people in the metaverse Cigarettes and vapes are being smuggled into virtual spaces beyond the reach of regulation, creating a new battleground for health campaigners

As traditional advertising restrictions grow, producers of unhealthy commodities are shifting tactics by targeting young people in virtual worlds like the metaverse, video games & online chat rooms.

We spoke with the @theguardian.com about Canary!, our online monitoring tool: vitalstrat.org/3H4TrdY

Health taxes can be a powerful tool to reduce harmful product consumption and improve health outcomes.

👉 Register here: vitalstrat.org/44Qgj8U

Join us for a virtual briefing to explore insights from our new publication: The Future of Health Financing in Africa: The Role of Health Taxes.

Maharashtra, India is conducting government-led surveillance to monitor and reduce childhood lead exposure. With support from Vital Strategies and @pureearthnow.bsky.social, over 1,400 children across 8 districts are being screened to understand their lead exposure and potential sources.

We quizzed alcohol policy experts on how public policies like awareness campaigns and health taxes can reduce alcohol consumption, saving lives and reducing alcohol-related harms.

#AlcoholFree #AlcoholPolicy #PublicHealth

Our #Data4Health team joined partners at the Third Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific to discuss strengthening #CRVS to #GetEveryoneInThePicture.

Here's a recap 👇

This work contributes to building more inclusive, responsive, and evidence-driven health systems—today and for the long term. #CRVS #SampleRegistration #GlobalHealth #PublicHealthData /4

Vital Strategies is proud to partner with the @swisstph.ch, through funding from the Gates Foundation, to support the planning of SRS in Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, and Tanzania—helping pave the way for stronger, more inclusive data systems. /3

Births, deaths, and causes of death captured through Sample Registration Systems (SRS) can significantly enhance the relevance and use of CRVS data while offering valuable lessons on how best to count everyone. /2

Long-term improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems sometimes requires intermediate solutions to deliver timely, representative, and accurate data. 🧵 /1

We urgently need to scale up health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary beverages. That was the message at today's discussion with the @cgdev.org: Can a global initiative on health taxes finance development? Watch a recording of the discussion at: vitalstrat.org/46EdQ3Z

#Tax4Health #HealthTaxes

🌍 10 cities get serious about heat & air pollution. Last week, urban health leaders from around the world met in #Barcelona to highlight local solutions to global health challenges. Participants in the #Cities4Health workshop hit the streets to explore Barcelona’s initiatives firsthand.

What if one public health policy could:

1️⃣ Save lives
2️⃣ Reduce disease
3️⃣ Raise revenue

Higher health taxes would save 50 million lives over 50 years. Learn how health taxes deliver a triple win: www.vitalstrategies.org/healthtaxes

It's time to fix the price on health. #Tax4Health #HealthTaxes

🥤⚠️Sugary drinks contribute to obesity, Type 2 diabetes & heart disease.

Yet this industry has found its way into sports through sponsorships, using athletes & major events to target children.



Experts worldwide —such as ‪@sbarquera.bsky.social— agree: it’s time to kick Big Soda out of sport.

Public Health Can Out-Innovate Big Tobacco - Health Policy Watch As the tobacco industry continues to innovate to preserve its market appeal, the health sector needs to become even more creative – advocating for new

Public Health Can Out-Innovate Big Tobacco

Learn more➡️Ideas include limiting nicotine content, banning filter tips, and joining the @who.int’s new “3×35 initiative” to raise the price of tobacco products by 50%.

INSIDE VIEW - Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebe, CEO @vitalstrategies.org

Public Health Can Out-Innovate Big Tobacco - Health Policy Watch As the tobacco industry continues to innovate to preserve its market appeal, the health sector needs to become even more creative – advocating for new

The health sector needs to be even more creative in its fight against big tobacco.

In @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social,‬ our President and CEO Mary-Ann Etiebet, M.D. calls for new regulations to reduce the appeal of tobacco products and an increase in tobacco taxes.

Read more: vitalstrat.org/44Bf7pU

World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025: Driving Global Progress in Tobacco Control From health taxes to AI-powered marketing monitoring, Vital Strategies' work was front and center at the recent World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin. See how our tools, partnership and advoca...

From health taxes to AI-powered marketing monitoring, our tobacco control work was front and center at #WCTC2025 in Dublin. See how our tools, partnership and advocacy are helping to protect communities and save lives around the world. vitalstrat.org/4eDPNo4

We hosted a data-centered leadership masterclass for senior CRVS managers in Asia-Pacific, focused on turning high-quality data into action for stronger CRVS systems and public health.

Data use for CRVS systems strengthening is as vital as data quality.

#GetEveryoneInThePicture

Việt Nam passes new excise tax law to protect public health and environment The revised law, passed with overwhelming support, introduces phased tax hikes on alcohol, beer, and cigarettes, with full implementation set by 2031.

In a major win for public health in Vietnam, taxes on tobacco, alcohol & sugary drinks are increasing. These reforms are backed by global evidence: health taxes save lives.

Read more: vitalstrat.org/4lCJNhx

Our Statement: vitalstrat.org/4knNOp8