"Expanding Access to Care, Supporting global, regional, and country level NCD Action" is an NCD Alliance programme in partnership with Medtronic Philanthropy.
ACT Health Promotion, originally a tobacco control organization, has been a National Implementing Partner of this programme since 2014. Here’s a timeline of ACT’s progress and achievements over the years…In 2016, ACT Health Promotion mobilized coalition members to discuss NCD priorities and NCD national plan implementation at its annual coalition meeting (August 23-26). The event was attended by 100 participants who also took part in advocating the National Congress.
ACT Health Promotion participated at the 3rd National Congress “Todos Juntos Contra o Câncer (All together against Cancer)” in September 2016 coordinated by TJCC Movement and ABRALE. TJCC is led by the Brazilian Association on Lynphoma and Leukemia (Abrale - Associação Brasileira de Linfoma e Leucemia) joining several sectors, such as patients, doctors, health professionals, researchers, media, etc.
The goal of TJCC to influence public health policies in the area of Oncology, seeking to promote health through prevention, early diagnosis, appropriate assistance, accessibility and coverage in oncologic treatment to all Brazilians. ACT Health Promotion leads the TJCC workgroup on prevention, using the approach of risk factors prevention in NCDs as an important basis to public health policies. At the 3rd National Congress, ACT+ contributed to two events, including a debate on ‘Overcoming barriers to health promotion and access to essential medicines.’
In 2016, ACT Health Promotion observed the need for NCD advocates to be actively involved in sustainable development discussions to capitalise on the opportunities therein. It has been actively involved in the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda in Brazil, and participated in the civil society coalition for SDGs implementation in the country.
The coalition has maintained contact with government representatives and legislators in order to guarantee the civil society participation in the process of the SDGs implementation in Brazil. In October 2016, the government created the National Commission for the SDGs implementation in Brazil through Decree 8892.
ACT Health Promotion has been active in the creation of the Alliance for Healthy Food, which was launched at the Brazilian Congress of Nutrition in October 2016. As well as being nominated to be the vice-coordinator of the NHC Commission on Nutrition, ACT Health Promotion was invited to become a member of the Technical Committee of the National Interministerial Commission to fight Obesity (CAISAN).
ACT celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2016 with different activities to strengthen its brand, ACT Health Promotion, and launch a new visual identity. ACT Health Promotion coalition has now 1120 members, from 152 different organizations. ACT Health Promotion continues to build its network, including the Alliance for Healthy Food, which is rapidly becoming a key stakeholder in the process of moving forward with the food regulation agenda in Brazil.
More information about ACT’s activities and evolution since 2013 will appear here within the coming weeks!