National Urban League Partners with Takeda to Advance Health Equity

NEW YORK (Aug. 14, 2023) - The National Urban League, a historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization, and Takeda together announce a new health equity initiative that seeks to address the obstacles that disproportionately hinder access to better health care for historically marginalized populations in the U.S.

This partnership will ultimately help to raise awareness, knowledge, and action across the National Urban League’s network of local affiliates and partners on social determinants of health (SDOH) and the barriers to accessing timely diagnosis and treatment in communities. Takeda’s support through this initiative will enable the creation of a Health Equity Continuum of Service Structure across the National Urban League’s network, including the development and implementation of local health equity plans to address identified health inequities and barriers to access in communities. Additionally, Takeda will support the National Urban League in developing webinars and workshops for continued health equity education and professional development among its affiliates. Long-term efforts under this partnership will engage key stakeholders to shape local and national policy, institutional commitments, and structural investments in communities to achieve health equity holistically.

"The COVID-19 pandemic shone a harsh light on the historic and structural inequities in our health care system and the urgent need for reform," said Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. "The National Urban League is proud to work with forward-thinking partners like Takeda, the first organization to fund our health equity infrastructure."

“Working alongside trusted leaders in the community and community-based organizations is vital to ensure we’re prioritizing the complex needs of historically marginalized people and can help to implement thoughtful solutions,” said Dr. Chris Reddick, head of U.S. Health Equity at Takeda. “That’s why we’ve partnered with the National Urban League, an organization that looks to the root of inequities and prioritizes community-led solutions to deliver care that reflects local needs.”

To get more information, please see the full release here.