This bulletin from the NCD Alliance includes important news on the following issues:
- WHO on targets and indicators: outcomes of NGO consultation
- Review of NCD Alliance: update below, please complete online survey here
- News on the Alliance team
- Website upgrade
1 WHO on targets and indicators: WHO invited a number of NGOs to an ‘informal dialogue’ in December to provide updates on the work they have done on a global monitoring framework and examples of targets and indicators for Member States to consider. WHO has issued a background paper for the consultation which can be found at http://goo.gl/FEU0X
The key points coming out of that meeting are:
• NCDA will submit a short briefing paper to WHO’s Member State consultation on targets taking place 9-10 January
• Civil society will be represented at this consultation but we don’t have further details on this yet
• Proposed 10 targets (see Footnote 1 below) are not a WHO ‘position’, just ‘examples’ of targets that meet the criteria set by WHO
• Other examples can be put forward to Member States, who will ultimately decide on how many and which targets/indicators they want to adopt
• Opportunities to influence process: 9-10 January; during the Executive Board from 16-20 January; through a potential 2nd Member State consultation in late February/early March; and through to the World Health Assembly from 21-26 May.
WHO will be seeking Member State agreement on the monitoring framework and targets/indicators at the WHA. They reported that they are also working on options for a global partnership to submit to the Secretary-General later this year.
2 Review of NCD Alliance: NCDA has been fortunate in securing two top global health experts to undertake an in-depth strategic review to help plan for the future: Dr Kathy Cahill and Dr Sally Stansfield. The review will determine not only future priorities for the Alliance but also new organisational and governance arrangements.
You can help by clicking here to complete the online survey by Friday 13 January and by giving your full and frank feedback on how NCDA has conducted itself to date and what you think are the main priorities for the future.
3 NCD Alliance Staff Updates: Dr Téa Collins has completed her contract with NCDA as Executive Director. Téa can be contacted on [email protected]. Judith Watt has taken on the role of Interim Director as of 1 January and can be contacted on [email protected] and will be located in London. Ariella Rojhani continues to work on UN-focused advocacy from the American Cancer Society office in New York. Greg Paton continues to coordinate Alliance policy and outreach from the Union for International Cancer Control office in Geneva.
The NCDA Steering Group continues to be chaired by Ann Keeling, CEO of the International Diabetes Federation, while the review is taking place. This will be concluded and implementation will be initiated by June 2012.
4 Website upgrade: The NCD Alliance website has undergone an upgrade to make it more user-friendly and expand its functionality. Please let us know what you think of the new website by contacting us.
FOOTNOTE 1 – TARGETS (Examples of targets that meet criteria)
Monitoring NCD outcomes
• 25% relative reduction in overall mortality from CVD, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease
• 10% relative reduction in prevalence of diabetes
Monitoring exposures
• 40% relative reduction in prevalence of current tobacco smoking
• 10% relative reduction in alcohol per capita consumption
• Mean adult population intake of salt less than 5 grams per day
• 25% relative reduction in prevalence of raised blood pressure
• No increase in obesity prevalence
Monitoring health systems response
• 80% coverage of multi-drug therapy for people aged 30+ years with a 10 year risk of heart attack or stroke > 30%, or existing CVD
• 80% women between ages 30-49 screened for cervical cancer at least once
• Elimination of industrially-produced trans-fats from the food supply