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The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s COVID-19 initiatives in 2020

In 2020, the Novo Nordisk Foundation allocated a total of DKK 460 million to initiatives that could mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 nationally as well as internationally. New leaflet gives an overview of these extraordinary grants.

In 2020, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has supported a wide range of initiatives aimed at mitigating the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the Foundation has awarded DKK 460 million towards completed, ongoing and coming COVID-19 projects within research, education, treatment and diagnostics, as well as social and humanitarian initiatives.

The COVID-19 related grants are a supplement to the Foundation’s annual grant activities for 2020. In order to give an overview of these supplementary activities, the Foundation has produced a leaflet that provides examples of projects supported during the year.

The Foundation’s most extensive grant went to the establishment of TestCenter Danmark, anchored at Statens Serum Institut. The grant of up to DKK 250 million has helped to procure the necessary equipment for giving the Danish public free access to COVID-19 testing.

Among the supported research initiates is a trial that will investigate if anti-inflammatory treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone can help COVID-19 patients. The Foundation has awarded a grant of DKK 5 million for the project, which will be carried out at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen.

Among the social initiatives supported by the Foundation is the establishment of emergency accommodation for socially disadvantaged citizens in various Danish municipalities. The purpose is to lower the risk of infection with COVID-19 among socially disadvantaged people and to support individuals who have been affected by restrictions imposed at shelters and social drop-in centres. The Foundation has awarded a total of DKK 7 million to four projects that target socially disadvantaged citizens in Odense, Slagelse, Copenhagen and Aarhus.

Among the humanitarian initiatives is support of a project that will ensure coronavirus-safe childbirth in Myanmar, where COVID-19 presents major challenges to the health sector, e.g. causing changes in the priority-setting for healthcare. More than 15,000 pregnant women and children are expected to directly benefit from the project led by Maternity Foundation. The Foundation has awarded a grant of DKK 966,877 for the project.

Read more about the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s support to COVID-19 related projects in the leaflet COVID-19 initiatives in 2020, which is available for download here.

Further information

Sabina Askholm Larsen, Communications Partner, tlf.: +45 2367 3226, [email protected]