Microsoft Word Report on who global Forum on ncds final 19 August 2011. doc

 

 

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are now a threat to development and national economies.  As NCDs are the leading causes 

of morbidity and mortality, governments need to ensure their policies and programmes 

address their prevention and control.  Dr Skvortsova emphasized the importance of healthy 

food, as well as tobacco control and effective measures to reduce harmful alcohol 

consumption.  Civil Society and the private sector are essential actors, including the food and 

pharmaceutical industries.  She noted that all those present were there because of their 

concern and commitment to addressing noncommunicable diseases.  Dr Skvortsova 

commended participants on their commitment and participation in the Forum. 

Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental 

Health, WHO, presented new data from the WHO Global Status Report on NCDs.

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  These 

data show that NCDs are the biggest cause of death worldwide and that nine out of ten 

deaths from NCDs before the age of 60 occur in developing countries.  He outlined the 

process leading to the UN high-level meeting on NCDs in New York on 19-20 September 

2011, and highlighted the place of the WHO Global Forum in that process.  Dr Alwan 

noted that the Forum uniquely brings together all the relevant stakeholders in a format that 

allows for genuine interaction and discussion.  He then summarized achievements in the past 

three years, the challenges still to be met, as well as the opportunities ahead including both 

the Forum and the high-level meeting itself in September 2011.

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VII.

 

  C

ONCURRENT 

S

ESSIONS

 

 

The purpose of each of the concurrent sessions was to focus on the contribution of a key 

stakeholder group to the prevention and control of NCDs, identifying: 

1.

 

the key challenges for NCD prevention and control, as they relate to the group or issue 

2.

 

the outcomes they wish to see from the Moscow Ministerial Conference and the  

September High Level Meeting 

3.

 

the commitments/priorities identified as necessary to accelerate progress in addressing 

NCDs. 

 

The proposed format was a brief (10 minute) presentation to provide an overview of the 

issues, with two or three brief responses (5 minutes) followed by facilitated discussion on the 

three key questions.  Session rapporteurs collated and reported back the conclusions and key 

findings from the discussions ready for reporting back in the post-lunch plenary session.   

 

 

 

 

                                                 

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 The WHO Global Status Report 2010 is available at: 

http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/index.html

  

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 The presentation of the WHO Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental 

Health is available at: 

http://www.who.int/nmh/events/global_forum_ncd/documents/opening_plenary_alwan.pdf

  

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Concurrent Session 1: Private sector including pharma, insurance, e-health, sport

Dr  

 

Eduardo Pisani, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, 

chaired this session. An opening presentation on the "Key roles, challenges, expected 

outcomes, commitments and priorities" for the private sector was made.

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  The following 

is a summary of the discussions.

 

A. Challenges 

The private sector is not always trusted, although it needs to be part of the solution – it 

could do better at making the case for its involvement by "saying what it can do not what it 

wants".  It will help if the private sector 'offering' is consolidated, with greater clarity on the 

drivers, including the nature of and incentives for Public-Private Partnerships.  Universal 

access to essential medicines is important but complex – issues of profitability, distribution 

and regulatory regimes need to be considered.  Likewise, the private sector needs clarity on 

what is meant by universal access to essential medicines. 

 

B. Outcomes 

The private sector would like governments, agencies and NGOs to view them as key 

partners in addressing NCD prevention and control.  It is important for NCD prevention 

and control to be elevated to the highest leadership level, including beyond the health sector.  

Governments can create incentives to foster a research and development environment, not 

just for pharmaceuticals but also for other private sector goods and services, e.g. information 

systems.  

 

C. Commitments and priorities 

The private sector is committed to playing a full part in Civil Society's response to NCDs, 

including in sectors beyond health.  Workplace wellness programmes should be scaled up as 

these present an important opportunity to reach a large proportion of the population.  

Finally, the various private sector players can commit to undertaking research and 

development activities to support NCD prevention and control. 

 

 

 

Concurrent Session 2: Food, non-alcoholic beverage & alcoholic beverage industries 

This concurrent session was chaired by Mr Jorge Casimiro, representing the International 

Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA).  An opening presentation was made on the 

commitments made by the IFBA companies and the progress made in achieving them.

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Many companies are already working on product composition by reducing salt, fat and 

sugars, while others are providing enhanced information, and cutting down marketing of 

unhealthy products to kids.

 

                                                 

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The presentation of Dr Raynaud is available at: 

http://www.who.int/nmh/events/global_forum_ncd/documents/session_1_private_sector_raynaud.pdf

  

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The presentation of Mrs Voûte is available at: 

http://www.who.int/nmh/events/global_forum_ncd/documents/session_2_ifba_voute.pdf

  

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