Features

Vital Strategies Q and A with Erin Russell about findings from the Compassionate Overdose Response Summit.

As 2024 comes to a close, the United States is seeing a decline in overdose deaths for the first time in five years—an estimated 17% decrease through July 2024, the most recent data available. The drop in overdose deaths from the COVID-era spikes is positive news, but far from a victory.

Claudia Wells joined Vital Strategies in 2024 as the managing director for the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Program. Before that, she was director of data and evidence and director of the international hub at Development Initiatives, where she led efforts to address the critical barriers to data use.

In November, members of Vital Strategies’ team as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative traveled to Medellín, Colombia to present their expertise at the United Nations World Data Forum.

Asmeret Nigus, Technical Advisor, Africa, discusses Vital Strategies' work to improve road safety in countries around the world.