Emergency preparedness - today and in the future - depends on strong health systems, a resilient, qualified, well-resourced health workforce, and healthy populations. COVID-19 and NCDs take lives indiscriminately, reinforcing one another and disproportionately impacting the poorest communities around the world and the most vulnerable people in every country. The fallout risks exacerbating inequalities. 

In his address to the 73rd World Health Assembly on 18 May 2020, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “COVID-19 is not just a global health emergency, it is a vivid demonstration of the fact that there is no health security without resilient health systems, or without addressing the social, economic, commercial and environmental determinants of health.”

This virtual high-level event will convene global thought leaders to:

• Explore the collision of NCDs and COVID-19 to demonstrate the need to prioritise NCDs in policy responses to health emergencies and humanitarian responses;

• Position investment in NCD prevention and treatment as an essential foundation for human security and preparedness for health emergencies; 

• Inform ‘build back better’ agenda for resilience, recovery and rebuilding, including the opportunity of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health systems strengthening to break down silos across global health, at global and national levels and catalysing a holistic approach to health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Event details: 

Date: Monday 13 July 2020

Time: 2:00 - 3:45 p.m. CEST

Moderator: Prof. Ilona Kickbusch

Wecolme remarks:

• Mr Todd Harper, President, NCD Alliance
• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization
• Mr Dag-Inge Ulstein, Minister of International Development, Norway 
   

Government champion’s video address:

• Dr Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, Undersecretary of State for Health Prevention and Promotion, Ministry of Health, Mexico

Panel discussion:

• Ms Nupur Lalvani, youth advocate living with T1 Diabetes, Healthy India Alliance
• Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus, PAHO
• Ms Sandhya Singh, Director Noncommunicable Diseases, National Department of Health, South Africa
• Dr Shannon Hader, Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS 
• Dr Jennifer Cohn, Vice President for Cardiovascular Health, Resolve to Save Lives 
• Dr Kai v. Harbou, Head of Sub Office, World Health Organization, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Conclusions:

• Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director NCDs, WHO 
• Ms Katie Dain, CEO, NCD Alliance

Click here to access to programme and speakers bios. 

Registration: This event will take place virtually via Zoom. Click here to register

The event will be live-streamed on NCDA Facebook here.