The World Heart Federation took a strong delegation to the First WHO Global Meeting of National NCD Programme Managers and Directors, held from 15-17 February at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
The purpose of the meeting was to enable in-country NCD focal points to exchange best practices on how to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The WHF participated in two events held alongside the meeting, the Interactive Stakeholder Networking Dinner and the Marketplace Breakfast.
These two events, organised by the WHO GCM, the NCD Alliance and the World Economic Forum, represented an opportunity for civil society to present to National NCD Programme Managers and Directors examples of collaborative approaches and strategies to tackle NCDs.
After an introduction from the head of the WHO/GCM Secretariat, Dr Bente Mikkelsen, civil society representatives gave presentations at six themed stations: governance, prevention, health systems, coordination & integration, access to medicines, and financing for NCDs.
World Heart Federation CEO Johanna Ralston moderated the discussions at the station on governance, while Global Policy Advisor Jeremiah Mwangi delivered a presentation in which he focused on WHF Roadmaps as a practical tool for policy makers and for cardiovascular programs. He also highlighted fixed dose combination therapies for cardiovascular secondary prevention as a potential solution to improve access to CVD medicines.
The Marketplace Breakfast saw thought-provoking presentations from YP-CDN president Dr Sandeep Kishore, Vanessa Candeais from the World Economic Forum and Katie Dain, CEO of the NCD Alliance.
Katie Dain’s presentation focused on the growing number of regional NCD Alliances emerging worldwide, while Dr Kishore challenged the audience with questions on how the NCD movement should move forward with more passion and clarity.
The World Heart Federation would like to thank the WHO for hosting the Global Meeting, which represented a valuable opportunity for NCD Directors and civil society to interact and discuss the most effective strategies available to tackle NCDs in order to reach our goal of reducing premature mortality from NCDs by 25% by 2025.
(Jeremiah Mwangi delivers his presentation on access to medicines at the Stakeholder Dinner)
