This is a statement led by the NCD Alliance at the 76th World Health Assembly on Agenda item 13.2 Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, and mental health.
Distinguished delegates,
We welcome the updated Appendix 3 of the Global NCD Action Plan, and we also support the statement led by UICC. In particular, we commend the expansion of cost-effectiveness analyses to new interventions, parameters, and country data, which reinforces their investment case.
More specifically, we applaud:
• The changes made to healthy diets interventions with cost-effectiveness analyses, now targeting and specifying unhealthy nutrients beyond salt (sugars, trans-fats, saturated fats); and the call for countries to develop national dietary guidelines and nutrient profile models;
• The changes made to the tobacco control interventions, including specifying the pharmacological interventions recommended for tobacco cessation.
We urge Member States to:
• Support the draft decision adopting the updated Appendix 3 and allowing WHO to
regularly update its interventions based on latest data and evidence;
• Resource and integrate NCD prevention and care interventions within Appendix 3 into UHC benefit packages – health promotion and disease prevention are core elements of the continuum of care and, as such, the realization of UHC requires accelerated national implementation of Appendix 3;
• Sensitize all government sectors about the health, social and economic return on investment of these interventions, in line with seeking a well-being economy.
We urge WHO to:
• Establish a clear and inclusive regular update mechanism for Appendix 3 that is protected against undue influence from health-harming industries;
• Shed light on Appendix 3 methodology, including how reference studies are selected;
• Develop guidance on prioritization and the benefits of combining Appendix 3
interventions, and consider interventions to control common NCD co-morbidities;
• Integrate population-wide interventions within Appendix 3 into WHO’s UHC compendium;
• Integrate existing and upcoming policy options on mental health, oral health and air pollution into the NCD response;
• And before its publication, retain the term of ‘best buys’ as a well-recognised and easily understood signal to policymakers.
Thank you.
Led by: NCD Alliance. Supported by: Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (formerly, the Framework Convention Alliance), Global Health Council, Handicap International Federation, International College of Surgeons, International Diabetes Federation, International Federa-tion of Medical Students Associations, International Society of Nephrology, PATH, The Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (Sightsavers), Union for International Cancer Control, Vital Strategies, World Cancer Research Fund International, World Heart Federation.
