World leaders are meeting today to kick off the first of a two-day United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). The high-level meeting takes place in New York September 19 - 20.
NCDs, or "lifestyle" diseases, have not only taken their toll on the health and productivity of those living in rich countries, but are spreading rapidly in poor and middle-income countries. Diabetes, heart disease and stroke, cancers and chronic respiratory disease top the list. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), NCDs are a leading cause of death worldwide with 36 million dying each year - many of these deaths are preventable.
This is the United Nations second high-level meeting on a health issue. The first was the UNGASS on HIV/AIDS in 2001. The high-level meeting will address the prevention, control and reduction of NCDs worldwide, with a special emphasis on the broad health, social and economic development challenges that have surfaced as a result.
Secretary -General of the United Nations, Ban ki-Moon is pushing for NCDs to become a global priority and expects countries to come up with workable action plans to reduce the toll of NCDs.
"The summit in September in New York is our chance to broker an international commitment that puts non communicable diseases high on the development agenda, where they belong, " said Ban Ki-moon.
Tobacco, unhealthy diets, inactive lifetsyles and alcohol abuse all increase the risk of NCDs. The NCD high-level meeting will give the important role of nutrition during the life cycle another boost, but it also reinforces the fact that countries can't look at health interventions in a silo. We know that NCDs can be managed, and in most cases prevented, but they require collective efforts across sectors. Combating NCDs also require action plans that set specific, realistic goals to spur communities onto a path where nutrition, fitness, preventative health interventions, healthy habits and other actions all converge.
This week, governments, civil society and the private sector will be hosting side events to support the UN calls to action around NCDs and incorporate evidence-based efforts that can be deployed. The Humanitas Global Development team will be attending many of these meetings and events, and will report back.
The health community needs to be demonstrate where interventions in nutrition, fitness, smoking and preventative health fit in to country action plans. Public health leaders who have been on the frontlines must bring the best programs and evidence (not just clinical, but also programmatic) to the table, along with a clearly outlined path that empowers country-leaders to activate smart and effective action steps within the context of their broader NCD plans.
More to come this week!
