WHO Preps For 2018 UN Review Of Cardiovascular Diseases, Cancers, Respiratory Diseases, Diabetes

World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan submitted a report to last week’s Executive Board meeting detailing progress made in establishing a framework for the implementation of a global action plan for prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs – like obesity, cancer, diabetes). The global action plan is to be officially implemented after the United Nations General Assembly comprehensive review of the prevention and control of NCDs in 2018, designed to eventually reduce premature mortality from NCDs by a third in 2030 in accordance with the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.

The 138^th WHO Executive Board (EB) met from 25-30 January.

The proposals of the document, EB/138/10 [pdf], included plans to publish an updated Appendix 3 (which details 81 “cost-effective” recommended policy options and 14 interventions for the prevention and control of NCDs) within the EB140 documentation by November this year at the latest. EB140 will take place in January 2017.

The report specifies other WHO assignments such as submitting progress reports on current efforts in carrying out the 2014-15 work plans of global coordination mechanisms and that of the United Nations Inter-Agency on the prevention and Control NCDs.

As NCDs have been under-addressed until recently, especially by the developing world, the World Heart Foundation said, it described its initial disappointment with the world’s attitude toward NCDs, as only 24 countries had implemented a proper surveillance system. But the group expressed optimism with the progress shown in the report, and that even if the 2030 goal is not reached, working towards it will make a big difference for world health.

The report was welcomed by many member states, though Namibia and Egypt urged the international community to continue to pay attention to communicable diseases alongside NCDs. Some delegates, such as China and Nepal, expressed a desire for the WHO itself to play a larger role in providing technical strength and expertise to developing countries.

Others, such as Brazil and Suriname, noted that the WHO must give special attention to “non-state actors” when dealing with this issue. Iran noted that since the cause of many NCDs primarily lie within a person’s lifestyle and environment, other UN agencies must directly help the WHO to attain the 2030 SDG goals in relation to NCDs.

The WHO divides NCDs (or what was labelled by Japan as “silent killers”) into four categories (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes) that together kill an estimated 38 million people annually in developed and developing countries alike.

The report outlines that the components required to combat NCDs are efficient governance, educating people on risk factors, established health systems and effective surveillance.

Jahan Harry Taubman-Rezakhanlou was an intern with Intellectual Property Watch.