Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)

The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health nonprofit founded in 2002 with a mandate to save lives and strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Originally founded as the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, CHAI expanded its scope significantly over the years and now runs programmes across more than 20 health areas in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Approximately 90% of its staff are locally based in the countries where it works.

CHAI is headquartered in Boston, USA, and has a substantial presence in India, where it works with the government on health system strengthening, maternal and child health, nutrition, digital health, and infectious disease programmes.

Global Headquarters: Boston, USA India Office: New Delhi Sectors: Global Health, Infectious Diseases, Women and Children's Health, Non-Communicable Diseases, Health Systems, Market Shaping

How They Work CHAI operates at the intersection of government, health, and markets. It plays four roles depending on context: as a market shaper that negotiates to drive down the price of drugs and diagnostics; as a trusted strategic partner that helps governments build strong health policies; as an operational partner that supports on-ground implementation; and as an ecosystem catalyst that brings these roles together to create outsized impact. CHAI embeds teams within government health ministries and agencies rather than operating parallel systems, which is central to how it achieves scale and sustainability. Programmes

Infectious Diseases CHAI works on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, hepatitis, oxygen therapy, and COVID-19. Its HIV work is among the most significant, including market shaping that has substantially reduced the cost of antiretroviral treatment globally. CHAI's June 2026 analysis of the HIV funding crisis tracks declining services across 13 countries following major donor pullbacks.

Women and Children's Health

Programmes cover maternal, newborn, and reproductive health; nutrition; vaccines; and diarrhea and pneumonia, which together remain leading causes of child mortality in low-income settings.

Non-Communicable Diseases

CHAI works on cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes and hypertension, sickle cell disease, and assistive technology for people with disabilities. Health Systems

CHAI supports governments on digital health, health financing, and health workforce development, helping build the underlying infrastructure for sustainable healthcare delivery.

Market Shaping

A cross-cutting function, CHAI's market shaping work involves negotiating with manufacturers and suppliers to lower the cost and expand the availability of medicines, diagnostics, and health products globally. CHAI has shaped over 150 market deals and recently published a playbook documenting its approach.

Cross-Cutting Expertise

CHAI has specialist teams in diagnostics, global health sciences, and innovation that support programmes across all health areas.

India Presence

In India, CHAI works with central and state governments on health system strengthening, maternal and child health, nutrition, tuberculosis, malaria, digital health, and health financing. It is one of the larger international health organisations embedded within India's government health architecture.

CHAI is a good fit for people with backgrounds in public health, medicine, epidemiology, health policy, economics, data science, supply chain, or programme management who want to work on global health challenges at scale.