Africa: WHO embrace initiative to fight noncommunicable diseases

The world Health Organization is getting the world back on track to reduce premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases, NCDs like diabetes, cancer, heart and lung disease. The decision was taken Tuesday April 12, at the inauguration of international strategic dialogue on noncommunicable diseases and the sustainable development goals, held in Accra, Ghana. 

Two-year old receiving cancer vaccine 

During the dialogue to prevent noncommunicable diseases, it national leaders highlighted that 7 out 10 people globally dies from risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and air pollution. 

The initiative to combat noncommunicable diseases focuses on: saving the lives of 50 million people by 2030, who could die prematurely of NCDs, protecting 1.7 billion people living with NCDs, integrating NCDs within primary health care and universal health coverage, and engaging 1.7 billion people living with NCDs and mental health conditions in policy-making and programming. 

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Nana Addo Dankwa Afuko-Addo, President of Ghana, outlined his country's success in implementing tobacco demand-reduction measures and introducing guidelines for NCD management, but also highlighted the challenges for lower-income countries in accelerating action.

"Tackling the phenomenon of NCDs requires leadership to provide visibility to NCD issues", he said. "I ask my Heads of State colleagues to join hands... as we find solutions to NCDs with a roadmap of universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. In our time, this will be our legacy".

The executive director of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that apart from the death toll, "NCDs take a heavy toll on economies, cutting down people in their most productive years. Overcoming this challenge requires technical, financial, and above all, political commitment. I thank the Governments of Norway and Ghana for establishing the first Global Heads of State and Government Group on NCDs, and launching the Global NCD Compact".

According to Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, investing in stronger health systems, service delivery and the prevention of NCDs would make vulnerable populations more resilient to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

"This is also vital for promoting universal health coverage. NCD prevention, and access to treatment and medicine must be a core component in the efforts to enhance pandemic preparedness and response, and in building back better in the post-pandemic recovery."

Combating NCDs is a vital role for promoting universal health coverage. 


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