Preventing and controlling NCDs in the Western Pacific Region

The endorsement of the draft Regional Framework on the Future of Primary Health Care in the Western Pacific is an important step towards improving PHC in the region and the World Heart Federation is pleased to lend its full support to its adoption and implementation. 

NCDs represent a huge burden on healthcare and welfare costs, exacerbating further existing health and social inequities in society. Much of this burden is completely avoidable.  The World Heart Federation endorses the draft Regional Framework on the future of PHC for the Western Pacific Region, and we also applaud and reiterate the shift in thinking included within the document – to transform a treatment based ‘sick system’ in to a ‘health system’. Primary healthcare is an important cornerstone of early intervention and must be strengthened. We also support the call for integration of NCDs measures in primary care as this is a cost-effective and practical approach to optimize resources and service delivery. 

We thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this discussion and stand ready to facilitate the implementation of the Regional Framework on the future of PHC in the Western Pacific Region.