{"id":15355,"date":"2023-05-23T12:01:43","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T10:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/?post_type=news&p=15355"},"modified":"2023-05-26T16:49:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T14:49:14","slug":"strengthening-who-preparedness-for-and-response-to-health-emergencies-at-wha76","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/strengthening-who-preparedness-for-and-response-to-health-emergencies-at-wha76\/","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies at #WHA76"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a statement led by the World Heart Federation at the 76th World Health Assembly on s<\/strong>trengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates,<\/p>\n

Noncommunicable diseases, including cancer, chronic respiratory disease, mental health conditions, vision loss, and especially circulatory diseases, increase the vulnerability of populations to pandemics. An estimated 60-90% of mortality in COVID-19 cases is attributable to one or more comorbidities. The case-fatality ratio remains 10-30% among dialysis patients; moreover, data shows a rise in the risk of CVD, heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interruptions in access to care have also proven a huge burden across the NCD spectrum, creating backlogs for preventive care and treatments such as cataract surgery and refractive error services. The harm caused by NCDs risk factors, such as alcohol and tobacco, also burdens health systems and undermines health emergency preparedness and response.<\/p>\n

Due to the indisputable link between NCDs and public health emergencies, people living with NCDs must be explicitly identified as vulnerable populations at high risk in all conversations and outputs related to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR). NCDs and their major risk factors must remain a priority in relevant accords at the national, regional, and global levels.<\/p>\n

We ask Member States to:<\/p>\n