UPDATING 'APPENDIX 3': A SET OF COST-EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR NCDs

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES TO GET INVOLVED

In May 2013, the World Health Assembly endorsed WHO’s Global Action Plan for the
Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013–2020, which has since been extended to 2030. 

Part of this plan comprises a menu of policy options and cost-effective and recommended interventions (known as “Appendix 3” or the NCD "best buys") to assist Member States, as appropriate for their national context, in implementing measures towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Target 3.4.

In 2019's World Health Assembly, Paragraph 3(a) of decision WHA72(11) requested the Director-General to “propose updates to the appendix of WHO’s global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs, as appropriate, in consultation with Member States and taking into account the views of other stakeholders, ensuring that the action plans remain based on scientific evidence for the achievement of previous commitments for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, including Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4 (by 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being) and other related goals and targets”.

The last revision of 'Appendix 3' was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2017 (decision WHA70.11). That endorsement enabled the WHO Secretariat to include an updated Appendix 3 in the report of the UN Secretary-General to the United Nations General Assembly on NCDs in December 2017.

In response, the WHO Secretariat is again updating Appendix 3. This will be considered by Member States at the 76th World Health Assembly (2023) though the 152nd session of the Executive Board.

We are delighted to announce our first draft WHO discussion paper on the updated Appendix 3! If you would like to be involved in the update, please explore the engagement opportunities listed below:

1 to 26 June 2022: WHO Secretariat will publish a first draft WHO discussion paper containing a proposed updated Appendix 3 for a web-based consultation.

20 June 2022: WHO Secretariat will convene a first informal consultation with Member States and UN organizations.

24 June 2022: WHO Secretariat will convene a first informal consultation with non-State actors (NGOs, private sector entities, philanthropic foundations and academic institutions).

25 July to 21 August 2022: WHO Secretariat will publish a second draft WHO discussion paper containing a proposed updated Appendix 3 for a web-based consultation.

16 September 2022: WHO Secretariat will convene a second informal consultation with Member States and UN organizations.

19 September 2022: WHO Secretariat will convene a second informal consultation with non-State actors.

You can find a set of technical briefs for each major NCD and risk factor, including a list of interventions that have been modelled through the WHO-CHOICE program, which conducts a 'generalized cost-effectiveness analysis' on health interventions, accounting for setting-specific factors such as the burden of disease, health system practice, and economic conditions.

JOIN US IN OUR NEW WORLD REHABILITATION ALLIANCE

There is an urgent need to strengthen rehabilitation around the world. 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. 

However, in low- and middle-income countries, more than 50% of people do not receive the rehabilitation they require. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on future rehabilitation needs is also yet to be seen.

The World Rehabilitation Alliance is a new WHO global network of stakeholders, working together to support the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative through advocacy. 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 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Specifically, it has objectives to:

• Conduct evidence-based advocacy activities that increase support and raise awareness on rehabilitation, and
• Strengthen networking and knowledge sharing within the rehabilitation sector.

Last month, we announced an online application process for joining the World Rehabilitation Alliance. Membership approval will be based on an assessment, due diligence process, and review of submitted documents, in accordance with the eligibility criteria and with WHO rules and policies.

We hope you will join us!

What can you bring to our new World Rehabilitation Alliance? Find out here!

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY: POISONING OUR PLANET

World No Tobacco Day informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

The theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day was ‘Poisoning our Planet’. The harmful impact of the tobacco industry on the environment is vast and growing adding unnecessary pressure to our planet’s already scarce resources and fragile ecosystems. In some numbers:

600,000,000 trees are chopped down to make cigarettes

84,000,000 tonnes of CO2 Emissions are released into the air, raising global temperatures

22,000,000,000 tonnes of water are used to make cigarettes

Tobacco products are the most littered item on the planet, containing over 7000 toxic chemicals, which leech into our environment when discarded. Roughly 4.5 trillion cigarette filters pollute our oceans, rivers, city sidewalks, parks, soil and beaches every year.

Cigarette filters contain microplastics and make up the second-highest form of plastic pollution worldwide. Despite tobacco industry marketing, there is no evidence that filters have any proven health benefits. WHO calls on policy-makers to treat cigarette filters, as what they are, single use plastics, and consider banning cigarette filters to protect public health and the environment.

The costs of cleaning up littered tobacco products fall on taxpayers, rather than the industry creating the problem. Each year, this costs China roughly US$ 2.6 billion and India roughly US$ 766 million. The cost for Brazil and Germany comes in at over US$ 200 million.

To mark the day, WHO released its Tobacco: Poisoning our planet report, highlighting that the industry’s carbon footprint from production, processing and transporting tobacco is equivalent to one-fifth of the CO2 produced by the commercial airline industry each year, further contributing to global warming. We also announced our World No Tobacco Day Awards winners for 2022, recognizing individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control.

You can access a range of facts and stats about the impact of the tobacco industry on the environment, at the links below.

Tobacco kills over 8 million people every year and destroys our environment, further harming human health, through the cultivation, production, distribution, consumption, and post-consumer waste.

The harmful impact of the tobacco industry on the environment is vast and growing adding unnecessary pressure to our planet’s already scarce resources and fragile ecosystems.

OUR TECHNICAL EXPERT NETWORK ON THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF NCDs

Action on NCDs requires work across team and sectors, including within WHO. To help coordinate our efforts, WHO has a bimonthly Technical Expert Network, who meet to discuss strategic planning and programming to advance NCD outcomes globally.

This week, we held a two-day retreat for Technical Expert Network members. We covered several items, including action on NCDs being delivered across the six WHO Regional Offices. We also explored how the recent Implementation Roadmap, approved by WHO Member States at WHA75 to accelerate global NCD outcomes, could support the acceleration at country level, as well as a discussion of the WHA75 resolutions we shared with you last week. 

Acknowledging the stark and unacceptable disparity between the burden of NCDs, and the level of overseas development assistance available for NCDs, we also had a productive discussion on strengthening resource mobilisation for NCDs, and milestones towards the fourth UN High-level meeting on NCDs in 2025. 

HOUSEKEEPING

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.

THE TWEETS WE RETWEET

• Follow along to discussions of our new World Rehabilitation Alliance with the hashtag #ManyVoices1Message (June 2022)
• Follow our coverage of discussions from the World Health Assembly using the hashtag #WHA75 (June 2022)