FM: Scotland leading charge on global health

Supporting innovation to tackle inequalities.

Scotland’s contribution to tackling global health challenges continues to lead to sustainable, meaningful and lasting impact, First Minister John Swinney said.

In Lusaka, the First Minister visited the Blantyre-Blantyre research lab which has been supported by Scottish Government funding to improve health outcomes in Zambia and Malawi. He announced £125,000 for charity Kids Operating Room to support adapting NASA technology to generate oxygen in low-resource settings.

Ahead of arriving in Malawi today, the First Minister also announced a further £4 million funding over three years to help tackle non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and sickle cell.

Delivered in partnership with other international donors and the Government of Malawi, this new approach to funding represents a major shift away from fragmented aid – aligning directly with Malawi’s national health priorities, to drive more effective, harmonised, and sustainable health improvements.

Over the 20-year period of our development programme, Scotland has a strong history of supporting health systems in our partner countries, with innovative projects between universities, NHS staff and institutions, as well as support throughout the COVID crisis.

These partnerships have transformed healthcare in many ways – such as launching Malawi’s first dental school and supporting a programme which has trained psychiatrists, established the first dedicated A&E centre, and supported on cancer. 

This latest investment of £4 million for the Malawi Health Service Joint Fund is a new, innovative approach that delivers on our commitment to partner-led development, helping establish life-saving and sustainable healthcare in Malawi.

The work of Kids Operating Room, supported by Scottish Government funding, has helped open more than 100 state-of-the-art children’s operating rooms in 36 countries, including Zambia and Malawi. The charity’s ground-breaking project is another example of how Scotland is demonstrating leadership in tackling global health challenges – helping ensure that children no longer die unnecessary deaths because of a lack of oxygen.

– THE FIRST MINISTER

In Lusaka, First Minister @JohnSwinney announced a package of support for innovative healthcare programmes between Scotland, Zambia and Malawi.

He visited @LUSAKABB and met @KidsOperating to hear about their new project with @NASAhttps://t.co/3KQVQVCC2g pic.twitter.com/XouPp1sPct

— First Minister (@ScotGovFM) October 17, 2025

This ground-breaking technology has real incredible potential. At Kids Operating Room, we’re contributing because we believe this innovation could one day transform how oxygen is delivered safely to children undergoing surgery around the world.

Oxygen is a vital medicine, yet in many low-resource settings it is unreliable or unavailable – and that makes surgery far more dangerous for children. That’s why this project is so important.

– KIDS OPERATING ROOM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, DR. MAIJA CHEUNG

Background

Global health – International development – gov.scot

Kids Operating Room project with NASA.

University of Glasgow – Explore – Internationalisation – Partnerships for the world – The Blantyre-Blantyre partnership