NCD Alliance

After months of consultations with relevant stakeholders and a discussion at the 66th World Health Assembly in May 2013, Member States endorsed a final draft of the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020.

The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has recently launched a report on World COPD Day entitled Respiratory diseases in the world. Realities of Today – Opportunities for Tomorrow.

The Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health (the Forum) was one of the main global health events in 2013, bringing together over 1000 policy makers, experts and advocates in the health workforce field, and frontline health workers.

The  theme was Human Resources for Health: foundation for Universal Health Coverage and the post-2015 development agenda. Organised by the Global Health Workforce Allance in Recife, Brazil, from 10-13 November 2013 in collaboration with the Government of Brazil, WHO and PAHO.

The World Heart Federation has launched the Emerging Leaders Programme, a new programme to support the development of experts who will collaborate, research and act to reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally by at least 25% by 2025.

For more information and to apply to be an Emerging Leader, please click here.

Launch of new World Cancer Declaration at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in Cape Town, South Africa.

Originally launched in 2006, the World Cancer Declaration (the Declaration) has helped to bring the growing cancer crisis to the attention of government leaders and health policy-makers, and to drive new government commitments in the global fight against cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - mainly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease - are not just one of the world’s most pressing health concerns but also a significant development challenge. They impede social and economic development and are driven by underlying social, economic, political, environmental and cultural factors, broadly known as ‘social determinants’.

Working alongside specialist health partners, actors outside the health sector are uniquely well positioned to address the social determinants of NCDs.

World Cancer Research Fund International released two new publications.

Launched on October 11 2012, this is the second year we celebrate this special day  dedicated to promoting girls' human rights, highlight gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and address the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world.

In his closing remarks recapping the General Debate of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, President of the UN General Assembly John Ashe recognized Member States' calls to include NCDs in the future development agenda. 

"Throughout the week, a number of items were mentioned that countries wish to see in our
new agenda including...health care including maternal care, non-communicable
diseases, and the fight against HIV-AIDS, among others."

On the 2nd Anniversary of the UN High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Chelsea Clinton made an appearance on Jon Stewart's Daily Show discussing her commitment to the fight against NCDs.