Health Ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa met last week in Brasilia, Brazil to discuss issues including NCDs within the national contexts of their respective emerging economies. Ministers reaffirmed commitment to actions outlined in the 2011 Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, and in the Outcome Document of the 2014 UN Review and Assessment on NCDs, and the WHO Global NCD Action plan 2013-2020.

With regard to risk factors, Ministers discussed adoption of strategies to reduce risk factors including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol; and to strengthen health systems, with specific reference to promoting research and development, and access to medicines. They reiterated their commitment to implement the Rome Declaration and Plan of Action, both resulting from the second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), and reaffirmed the commitments assumed under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as fundamental to strengthen tobacco control measures.