UN HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

Thursday, 22nd of September 2011

UN HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

Summary below; full text is at

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60879-9/fulltext

Readers of the full text can explore the interesting view that combatting the NCDs will help the world to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Published Online: 13 June 2011

UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases: addressing four questions

Original Text

Prof Robert Beaglehole DSc a , Prof Ruth Bonita PhD a, George Alleyne MD b, Richard Horton FMedSci c, Prof Liming Li MD d, Paul Lincoln BSc e, Prof Jean Claude Mbanya MD f, Prof Martin McKee MD g, Prof Rob Moodie MBBS h, Sania Nishtar MD i, Prof Peter Piot MD g, Prof K Srinath Reddy DM j, David Stuckler PhD k, for The Lancet NCD Action Group

Summary

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), principally heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, are a global crisis and require a global response. Despite the threat to human development, and the availability of affordable, cost-effective, and feasible interventions, most countries, development agencies, and foundations neglect the crisis. The UN High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) on NCDs in September, 2011, is an opportunity to stimulate a coordinated global response to NCDs that is commensurate with their health and economic burdens. To achieve the promise of the UN HLM, several questions must be addressed. In this report, we present the realities of the situation by answering four questions: is there really a global crisis of NCDs; how is NCD a development issue; are affordable and cost-effective interventions available; and do we really need high-level leadership and accountability? Action against NCDs will support other global health and development priorities. A successful outcome of the UN HLM depends on the heads of states and governments attending the meeting, and endorsing and implementing the commitments to action. Long-term success requires inspired and committed national and international leadership.

a University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

b Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC, USA

c The Lancet, London, UK

d Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

e National Heart Forum, London, UK

f Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon

g London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

h University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

i HeartFile, Islamabad, Pakistan

j Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, India

k Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

Correspondence to: Prof Robert Beaglehole, 42 Albert Road, Devonport, Auckland 0624, New Zealand