In January 2017 the 140th WHO Executive Board requested the development of a Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity (GAPPA), for adoption in May 2018. The initial drafting process is now complete and the discussion paper is now available online for consultation until the end of September 2017, to which the NCD Alliance will coordinate a submission, and is seeking comments on the draft GAPPA from network members.

 

Physical Activity & NCDs

The development if GAPPA comes at an important time for NCD prevention and control, with assessments of progress against the 25x25 NCD targets showing that progress is insufficient and off-track, and unlikely to achieve a 25% reduction in NCDs by 2025 without significantly scaled up action on many fronts. Achieving the target of a 10% relative reduction in physical inactivity is also not likely on the current trajectory. The 3rd UN High Level Meeting on NCDs due to take place in late 2018 must coincide with a more concerted effort from Member States both in terms of control and prevention of NCDs.

 

The draft Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity

GAPPA also integrates intervention and action areas identified in numerous other health agendas. The benefits of promoting physical activity are not limited to health, and thus GAPPA outlines actions which will bring co-benefits for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and identifies opportunities in health, sport, eduction, urban design, transport among others, as well as at multiple levels of decision making and action. It has an ambitious goal of getting 100 million people more active by 2030, and positions physical activity as a key to sustainable human development. 

 

WHO Consultation on GAPPA

A discussion paper on the Zero Draft of the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity is currently open for consultation and comment, and can be found HERE. Member States, organisations of the UN System, other intergovernmental organisations, as well as non-State actors are invited to share their comments in response to the WHO Discussion Paper by sending an email before 22nd September to [email protected]. (see update with WHO webinar deatils below)

 

NCD Alliance Webinar - 22nd August

During our Webinar on 22nd August, Fiona Bull of WHO presented on GAPPA, with updates arising from the consultation process. The 10 minute overview is early in the webinar video included below.

The NCD Alliance is preparing a response to the Draft Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, and therefore invite you to share comments on the document using the online survey HERE. In order to take into account your input for our response, please kindly respond with comments using the online questionnaire by 12 September. Please note, NCD Alliance will recognise organisations that input to the submission in our collated response.