The WHO Regional Committee Meetings are underway – PAHO met last week and the WPRO meeting is taking place this week.  The NCD Alliance has coordinated representation at those meetings to ensure a strong civil society voice is present on any discussions on the NCD Framework, and developed a Statement to be delivered at each Regional Meeting.

 A regional strategy on NCDs was adopted at the PAHO Regional Meeting highlighting:

• to place greater emphasis on raising the level of attention paid to NCDs in both the development and economic agendas of Member States and the international community. It encourages a multisectoral “all-of-society” approach that includes government, the private sector, academia, and civil society at the regional, subregional, and national levels alike.
•  overall intent of the NCD Strategy is to reduce avoidable mortality, morbidity, risk factors, and costs associated with NCDs—thus promoting well-being and improving productivity and development prospects in the Region

Other PAHO Regional Meeting initiatives include:

• The launch of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which is developed by CARICOM with the support from PAHO/WHO and international partners. It will serve as lead agency for regional action on disease surveillance, human resources for health, emergency response, health promotion and communication and policy development.The election of a new PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne of Dominica, who will take office in February 2013

Dr. Margaret Chan addressed the committee with how the WHO will be performing its duties for years to come with the WHO reform and mentioned the role of universal health coverage as ‘the single most powerful equalizer.’ She also acknowledged the position of health in the post-2015 debate and reiterated that it is a precondition for development.