Mexico—Better Health Programme (BHPMx)

The Better Health Programme Mexico (BHPMx) was part of the U.K. Global Prosperity programme Better Health Programme that covers eight countries. The DAI-managed programme addressed the growing incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) in Mexico—especially in relation to obesity and diabetes—with the aim of enhancing the economic and social benefits associated with improved health.

The programme fostered long-term links between Mexican institutions and the National Health Service, other U.K. institutions, and networks of researchers and service providers. U.K. and Mexican partners together built an understanding of the gendered nature of the NCD epidemic and of the severe exclusion of some groups based on ethnicity, disability, or geographical location, as well as high levels of gender-based violence across the country and inequality within the health system.

Sample Activities

• Create a mechanism for long-term, mutually beneficial collaboration between the United Kingdom and Mexico by developing frameworks for knowledge exchange and relationships between a range of institutions.
• Support the Mexican government to review and improve policy to address obesity and diabetes and mechanisms for measuring progress and challenges. This work will complement the government’s significant efforts to reduce health inequalities.
• Support the strengthening of inclusive leadership and learning among health professionals in the Mexican health system.
• Mainstream gender equality and social inclusion at all levels of the programme, ensuring the approach is embedded within core programme activities and within the management structures and processes. The work will be based on a nuanced understanding of the cultural, political, and economic context that drives current behaviour.
• Conduct innovative research to understand some of the underlying social drivers of obesity in Mexico and support partnerships with the United Kingdom that will enable high-quality learning for both the United Kingdom and the Mexican public health approach. For example, research might explore how stress and violence links with obesity, inactivity, depression, and poor eating habits, and develop integrated approaches to tackle violence and obesity.

Select Results

• Delivered the Microguide Mexico to the Mexican Institute of Social Security. The guide is aimed at providing clinicians with updated treatment guidelines for type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
• Conducted five closure workshops on integrating public healthcare competencies into medical curricula.
• Trained more than 5,000 health workers through seminars on improving health education and practice.
• Developed two e-learning courses on “clinical management of overweight, obesity and diabetes” and “digital skills for primary healthcare” to be transferred to the Mexican Institute of Social Security.
• Developed an accredited diploma for local health managers, in partnership with Mexico’s Secretariat of Health.
• Produced a training of trainers’ Advanced Nursing Course in partnership with Mexico’s National School of Nursing & Obstetrics.
• Created a bespoke communication campaign designed for three deprived areas in Zapopan and Acatlán de Juárez in Jalisco state, aimed at curbing sugar consumption in fizzy drinks. The campaign design approached healthy eating positively.