NCD Alliance

CLAN convened, in partnership with the Public Health Institute and the Global Health Council, the first NCD Conference which brought together leading NCD experts and development organisations. The conference focused on the complexities of a life-course approach to NCDs and how to effectively integrate children and adolescents within the global NCD framework, health and development discussions.

The final report has just been released and can be found here.

'The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and WHO today launched a new partnership called the ‘mHealth’ Initiative to use mobile technology, in particular text messaging and apps, to help combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases.'- WHO News Release

For the official release please click here

Source: WHO

Judith Watt, the Director of NCDA, attended the European Health Forum Group highlighting the current NCD epidemic.

The Health Forum focuses on the health care policy in the EU and it has the most the influence in policy recommendations. It attracts more more than 600 decision-makers from 45 countries to discuss the future of the European health system

For more information on the Forum click here

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:

World Heart Federation as part of the Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce released a new paper acknowledging that ‘agreement by governments, by the end of 2012, on a set of ambitious global targets to curb the growing scourge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which includes cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart disease and stroke), is critical to avoiding the millions of premature deaths worldwide.’ The Taskforce calls upon governments to support at least 10 targets for the Framework.

The Lancet has launched a series on the importance of Universal Health Coverage in terms of population health outcomes, political and economic components of the transition and how lower-middle-income countries in Africa and Asia have begun to implement national health insurance reforms.

More information

ArogyaWorld produced a series of op-ed pieces in partnership with Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network (YPCDN) with leaders in public health such as Sir George Alleyne, Nils Daulaire, Princess Dina Mired, Peter Piot, Jill Sheffield, Rachel Nugent, Felicia Knaul, Derek Yach and NCD Alliance Steering Group members Johanna Ralston and Ann Keeling.

The Policy Depot – Rethinking cardiovascular health policy

The Policy Depot is a new, innovative social network created specifically for cardiovascular health policy professionals throughout the world. Developed by the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and CINDI, the Policy Depot creates new opportunities for policy professionals to develop,implement, and share evidence-based policies and best practices that will reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease within their communities.

'Countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable disease. Patricio Marquez and Jill Farrington argue that knowledge of their common determinants and the links between diseases should be used to spur development of coordinated programmes to prevent and treat both'- BMJ

For the analysis and article please click here

A recently conducted study demonstrated the links between obesity and a decrease in cognitive function.

For more on the story click here