NCD Alliance

The Cancer Atlas website and The Cancer Atlas, Second Edition book – produced by the American Cancer Society, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Union for International Cancer Control – provide a comprehensive global overview of information about the burden of cancer, associated risk factors, methods of prevention and measures of control.

The NCD Café sessions began on Wednesday with a packed out discussion on health in post 2015, and the essential need to invest in NCDs in order to secure a healthy future for all.

Since then, the NCD Café has seen a dynamic discussion led by WHO and NGO representatives on the need for a multisectoral approach in order to effectively tackle NCDs, and the urgency yet necessary thoughtful consideration of implementing such an approach. 

The 2014 World Cancer Congress begun today in Melbourne with the annual World Leaders' Summit, attended by more than 260 key decision makers from all over the world.

A dedicated NCD Programme will address cancer within the broader context of the NCD response. In addition, NCD Alliance Supporters are hosting the NCD Cafe, which offers interactive sessions throughout the Congress.

The International Liaison Group on Tobacco or Health (ILGTH) which is responsible for selecting the venue of the World Conference on Tobacco or Health is now launching the bidding process for the World Conference on Tobacco or Health 2018 to be held in Africa.

Patient Solidarity Day, on 6 December 2014, will focus on efforts aligned with universal health coverage and raising awareness about patient-centred healthcare. 

The campaign is leaded by the International Alliance of Patients' Organizations (IAPO). The Morris Moses Foundation is the founder of the initiative. They launched this campaign as way of assisting suffering patients during the 2011 doctors strike and was observed by both Kenya and Uganda.

Taking place under the tagline ‘Not beyond us’, World Cancer Day 2015 will take a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach.

Obesity is a critical global issue that requires a comprehensive, international intervention strategy. More than 2.1 billion people—nearly 30 percent of the global population—are overweight or obese. That’s almost two and a half times the number of adults and children who are undernourished. Obesity is responsible for about 5 percent of all deaths a year worldwide, and its global economic impact amounts to roughly $2 trillion annually, or 2.8 percent of global GDP—nearly equivalent to the global impact of smoking or of armed violence, war, and terrorism.

The World Cancer Congress begins in Melbourne on 3 December. A dedicated NCD Programme will address cancer within the broader context of the NCD response.

In addition, NCD Alliance supporters are hosting the NCD Cafe, which offers interactive sessions throughout the Congress.

A new study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), shows that nearly half a million new cancer cases per year can be attributed to high body mass index (BMI).

The study, published today in The Lancet Oncology, highlights that overweight and obesity have become a major risk factor, responsible for an estimated 3.6% (481 000) of all new cancer cases in 2012.

The WHO Regional Committees, held annually, are an important forum for Member States to discuss elements of the global NCD Framework and contribute to the on-going post-2015 discussions. The 2014 WHO Regional Committee Meetings concluded in early November. Highlights of each meeting and a detailed summary of discussions on NCD-related agenda items can be found here.

Photo courtesy: PAHO/Flickr, 2014