Uniting international, regional and national stakeholders to make addressing the world’s number one killer a global priority.
The Global Coalition for Circulatory Health was launched in 2017 at the WHO Global Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases in Montevideo, Uruguay. It brings together international, regional and national stakeholders in circulatory health to drive the urgent action needed to combat heart disease and stroke.
“CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with more than 75% of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Yet this huge burden is not being addressed with the priority required to achieve the target 25% reduction in premature mortality from NCDs by 2025. In addition, the implementation of the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, along with national action plans on NCDs, has been slow.”
Professor David Wood, Cardiologist and President of the World Heart Federation
Given this situation, WHF convened the 1st Global Summit on Circulatory Health in June 2016. The result was the Mexico Declaration, adopted by 29 global, regional and national civil society organizations. The signatories pledged to advocate for policies for circulatory health, develop a common implementation strategy based on evidence and develop a common language for policy makers.
Subsequently, in July 2017, WHF held the 2nd Global Summit in Singapore with the aim of inspiring a greater sense of urgency to address CVD. Here, the need to coordinate international advocacy efforts became self-evident and a decision was made to form a global coalition of international, regional and national stakeholders to work together for circulatory health.
The Global Coalition is open to any professional global, regional, and national civil society organization with a role in circulatory health. If you would like to register, please click on the link below.
THE ROAD TO UHC: WHY INTEGRATION OF CIRCULATORY HEALTH INTERVENTIONS IN PRIMARY CARE IS ESSENTIAL
A number of countries across the globe have made commitments to progressively achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). To achieve UHC, countries need to decide on essential health services that are effective, taking into account the national burden of disease, financial protection, and overall impact on society and the economy.
Download the Position Paper
Circulatory Health and COVID-19
Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health
Download the Position Paper
Watch the webinar
Download the White Paper for Circulatory Health
This White Paper draws on stories and lessons from around the world to showcase proven, practical steps to advance circulatory health.
DownloadObjectives of the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health
- Advocate for and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4 of a one-third reduction in premature NCD deaths by 2030, by building on the work done to date to meet the global target of a 25 percent reduction by 2025 in premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, and on the World Health Organization’s Global Hearts Initiative
- Promote common messaging by partner organizations and leverage their extensive networks to cascade messages at regional and national levels in order to influence relevant local policy- and decision-makers
- Strengthen the voice of people living with heart disease, stroke and associated conditions by including patients, their families and communities in decision-making processes and in national, regional and global advocacy
Events
Launch of the White Paper on Circulatory Health, 25 September 2018, New York
The Global Coalition will launch the White Paper on Circulatory Health entitled Driving Sustainable Action for Circulatory Health on 25 September in New York, bringing together leaders in public health, government, civil society and the private sector attending the 3rd United Nations High-level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases. Drawing on success stories and patient testimonies, the White Paper proposes feasible solutions in universal health coverage, financing, infrastructure, and access to medicines to advance circulatory health.
Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Union’s Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and David Wood, President of the World Heart Federation, will speak at the launch of the White Paper, with likely participation from the Ministry of Health of Jamaica. More information will follow in the coming weeks.
Positioning Circulatory Health in Universal Health Coverage, 22 May 2018, Geneva
On 22 May, the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health held a side event on the margins of the 71st World Health Assembly to advocate for circulatory health and hypertension control in universal health coverage for the estimated one billion people who live with raised blood pressure. Moderated by Dr Richard Horton (Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet), the panel included Dr Tom Frieden (President & CEO, Resolve to Save Lives), Dr Etienne Krug (WHO Director, Department for Management of Non-communicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention), Ms Rita Melifonwu (Ashoka Fellow & Founder of Stroke Action UK and Nigeria), Mr Nicolas Diserens (Patient Speaker, Switzerland), and Dr Inke Mathaurer (Senior Financing Specialist, World Health Organization). The speakers proposed a path forward that puts patients and the health workforce at the centre, creates an enabling environment of training, education, information systems and sustainable financing, and mobilizes the political will to leave no one behind.
Projects
Driving Sustainable Action for Circulatory Health: The White Paper on Circulatory Health
Aimed at policymakers in national and international bodies, the White Paper is a solution-oriented paper which draws on success stories and testimonies of people living with circulatory diseases to present feasible actions in education and training, universal health coverage, financing, infrastructure, and access to medicines and technologies to advance circulatory health.
The White Paper is written with sustainability in mind. This is why it is firmly placed in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular of SDG Target 3.4. of reducing by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promoting mental health and well-being by 2030. Beyond target 3.4 and considering the impact that circulatory diseases and NCDs have on health, productivity and the economy, improving circulatory health is paramount for SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Download the Executive Summary
Global Coalition Leadership Group
The Global Coalition Leadership Group sets the strategy and workplan for the Coalition. It comprises partner organizations with an interest in heart disease and stroke which also hold Official Relations Status with the World Health Organization. The Leadership Group is currently made up of the following organizations:
Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations
International Council of Nurses
International Diabetes Federation
International Society of Nephrology
International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
World Federation of Public Health Associations
World Heart Federation
World Hypertension League
World Organization of Family Doctors
World Stroke Organization
Global Coalition for Circulatory Health members
The Global Coalition will leverage the expertise and reach of its international partners to advocate for increased prevention, control and treatment of all circulatory diseases. The following are the current members of the Global Coalition:
Cuban Society of Cardiology
European Heart Network
European Primary Care Cardiovascular Society
FemSansCancer
Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth (HRIDAY)
Heart Friends Around the World
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular Incor EsSalud
InterAmerican Heart Foundation
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations
International Atherosclerosis Society
International Society of Hypertension
International Council of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation
International Council of Nurses
International Diabetes Federation
International Primary Care Cardiovascular Society
International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)
International Society of Nephrology
Iranian Heart Foundation
Nepal Development Society
Polish Lipid Association
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Rural Clinical School, University of New South Wales
Shenyang First People’s Hospital
South African Heart Association
Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana
Ukrainian Association of Cardiology
World Federation of Public Health Associations
World Hypertension League
World Organization of Family Doctors
World Stroke Organization
World Heart Federation
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