STRATEGIC FOCUS ON NCD FINANCING: 'INVESTING TO PROTECT’ FOR THE GLOBAL WEEK FOR ACTION ON NCDs 

Marking the Global Week for Action on NCDs, an event co-hosted by WHO, NCD Alliance and the World Diabetes Foundation has brought focus to the urgency of investing in NCD prevention and care.

Unpacking the priorities set out in the NCDA financing brief, Invest to Protect: NCD financing as the foundation for healthy societies and economies, the event served as a unifying platform for the global NCD movement to call upon governments, organisations, and individuals to act on NCD prevention and care and to leave no one behind. Learning from insights from policy-makers in Norway, Tanzania, Uruguay and Ghana as funding and collaborating partners, we heard how incremental investments in NCDs can improve health outcomes, economic productivity and the advancement of universal health coverage.

The session also began the discussion on what success at the Second WHO Global NCD Financing Dialogue in 2023 might look like. This dialogue will build on the first global dialogue on partnerships for sustainable financing of NCD prevention and control, held in Copenhagen in 2018. The dialogue will explore what is necessary to bridge the stark and unacceptable gap between the burden of NCDs - causing three in four of the world’s death annually - and investment in NCDs, estimated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at as little as 1-2% of overseas development assistance for health.

The findings follow a recent WHO report, Saving lives, spending less: the case for investing in noncommunicable diseases, showing that close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030 if low- and lower-middle-income countries were to make an additional investment of less than a dollar per person per year in the prevention and treatment of NCDs. Focusing on 76 low- and lower-middle-income countries, the report explains the NCD Best Buys and shows how every dollar invested in scaling up Best Buy actions in these countries could generate a return of up to US$ 7: potentially US$ 230 billion by 2030.

The event was opened by Dr Tedros, and Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs and Injuries, and closed by Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director, Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO. You can see excerpts of their remarks below!

Watch along to 'Invest to Protect: NCD financing as the foundation for healthy societies and economies', opened by Dr Tedros, here!

PREPARING FOR THE WORLD REHABILITATION ALLIANCE

In many countries around the world there is an urgent need to strengthen rehabilitation. Globally, an estimated 2.4 billion people are living with a health condition that could benefit from rehabilitation. This number is expected to grow due to people living longer and with more chronic disease and disability. It is estimated, however, that in low- and middle-income countries, more than 50% of people do not receive the rehabilitation they require, while the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on future rehabilitation needs is also yet to be seen.

The World Rehabilitation Alliance is a WHO global network of stakeholders whose mission is to support the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative through advocacy activities. It focuses on promoting rehabilitation as an essential health service that is integral to Universal Health Coverage and to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3, ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. 

In preparation for the commencement of the World Rehabilitation Alliance advocacy activities, WHO will be hosting an event on 13 September. From 14:00 to 15:00 CET, join us to:

• Announce the Steering Committee members;
• Highlight the need for and the added value of the World Rehabilitation Alliance; and
• Introduce the five workstreams of the World Rehabilitation Alliance.

If you would like to be involved for membership, we encourage interested and eligible organizations to apply for membership as soon as possible to be part of workstreams workplan development following the pre-launch. We hope you can join us.

A SPECIAL EDITION ON PALLIATIVE CARE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Palliative care is the prevention and alleviation of pain and suffering of any kind associated with serious illness. It aims to improve the quality of lives of patients facing life-threatening illness and their families. Palliative care should be an integral component of care for a wide range of life-limiting diseases, yet it is often only associated with cancer and end-of-life care. Based on available estimates, only one percent of adults in need of palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) receive it.

The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) presents a special edition of the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ) on palliative care. Featuring six original research articles, three reports, one review, one commentary and two editorials on different aspects of palliative care across the Region, the edition aims to raise awareness of the importance of palliative care across the continuum of care and the benefits of integrating palliative care into health systems.

Papers published in the edition highlight:

• the status of palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including recent developments;
• regional priorities for palliative care in relation to policy, health workforce capacity development and service delivery;
• priority areas for further research on palliative care in the Region.

WHO AND WORLD BANK DEEP-DIVE ON THE GLOBAL DIABETES COMPACT

Together, WHO's Department for Noncommunicable Diseases and the World Bank Health, Nutrition, and Population Global Practice, are running a knowledge series on investing in core NCD issues. For the second webinar in our Knowledge Series, both organizations came together to discuss WHO's Global Diabetes Compact. Focused on health systems strengthening in addressing NCDs, the series explored an opportunity to learn, share and exchange ideas in addressing the prevention (where appropriate) and management of diabetes and health systems strengthening.

Keynotes included speakers from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance in Ghana, WHO, the World Bank, people living with diabetes, the International Diabetes Federation, and the Helmsley Charitable Trust.

We also learned about global and country-level WHO and World Bank efforts and explore collaborations to integrate essential diabetes treatment and care within funding for primary healthcare and universal health coverage packages.

CURRENT AND FUTURE BURDEN OF BREAST CANCER: GLOBAL STATISTICS FOR 2020 AND 2040

In a new study, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and partner institutions provide a global overview of the burden of breast cancer in 2020 and estimate the impact this disease will have in 2040. By 2040, researchers predict that the breast cancer burden will increase to more than three million new cases per year (an increase of 40% from 2020) and more than one million deaths per year (an increase of 50%).

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type, accounting for one in eight cancer diagnoses worldwide. In 2020, there were about 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer globally and about 685 000 deaths from this disease, with large geographical variations observed between countries and world regions. Breast cancer incidence is highest in countries that have undergone economic transition, but transitioning countries carry a disproportionate share of breast cancer deaths.

IARC is part of WHO’s Breast Cancer Initiative. Through this initiative, WHO, IARC and collaborators aim to reduce breast cancer mortality through timely diagnosis, adequate treatment and patient management. To support the initiative, a good understanding of global patterns and variations in the disease burden is vital. This new study emphasizes the need for global efforts to counteract the growing burden of breast cancer, especially in transitioning countries where incidence rates are rising rapidly and mortality rates remain high.

Meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs and mental health conditions can provide expertise & narratives to shape policies, inspire others to join the movement as agents of change, inform those in power, and help achieve #HealthForAll!

ACCELERATING ACTION ON CHILDHOOD CANCER IN THE AMERICAS

On 21 September and marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) invites you to the webinar Together accelerating the cure of cancer in children and adolescents 2022. This important event disseminates the focus of the prioritized set of essential interventions comprised in the second pillar in the 'CUREALL: Universal Health Coverage' technical package.

This webinar will emphasize the importance of the participation and commitment of the leading national, regional, and international key actors to maximize the success of the implementation of the childhood cancer initiative and connect with the primary goal of improving the survival and alleviating the suffering of all children, and adolescents with cancer.

The webinar builds on a recent announcement by WHO and St Jude Children's Research Hospital to create the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, the first of its kind to provide an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines to low- and middle-income countries.

St. Jude is making a six-year, US$ 200 million investment to launch the platform, which will provide medicines at no cost to countries participating in the pilot phase. This is the largest financial commitment for a global effort in childhood cancer medicines to date. 

Each year, an estimated 400 000 children worldwide develop cancer. Most of them live in low- and middle-income countries.

The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, established by the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States of America, will dramatically increase global access to childhood cancer medicines.

 The Platform, the first of its kind, will provide an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines to low- and middle-income countries. It aims to provide safe and effective cancer medicines to approximately 120 000 children between 2022 and 2027, with the expectation to scale up in future years.

The Platform will provide end-to-end support, consolidating global demand to shape the market; assisting countries with the selection of medicines; and contributing to the effective provision of services through the implementation of evidence-based standards of care.

HOUSEKEEPING AND COUNTRY IMPACT

As part of efforts to improve WHO communications, we always want your feedback of what you like, and what you would like to see more of! Send me your feedback below.

We are also piloting a new On The Pulse feature series, working with WHO Regional and Country Offices to explore our country impact on NCDs! If you would like to be kept in the loop about this, please also let me know by writing.

THE TWEETS WE RETWEET

• Follow coverage of the Global Week for Action on NCDs using #ActOnNCDs on social media! (September 2022)
• Join us for the #WorldCancerCongress on 18-20 October and #EuropeanCancerSummit on 16-17 November.