Partnerships are critical to WHO’s ability to effectively implement programmes and improve health. Combining the relative strengths of different stakeholders achieves common objectives. The diverse backgrounds of our partnerships are their strength: this week we see our partners- old and new- tackle cancer, rehabilitation, hearing and tobacco.
WHO Director-General Remarks on New Model Essential List publication
Weekly Press Conference – 26 July
The Director-General of WHO spoke on the Essential Medicines List and the global progress achieved in childhood cancer through WHO and St Jude Partnership with guests Dr Jim Downing, the President and Chief Executive Officer of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Dr Benedikt Huttner, the Secretary of the Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines. The World Health Organization (WHO) published the new editions of the Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc). The lists are updated every two years by the Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines. The first Essential Medicines List was published in 1977, and the first Essential Medicines List for Children was published in 2007. The current versions, updated in July 2023, are the 23rd Essential Medicines List (EML) and the ninth Essential Medicines List for Children (EMLc).
“Cancer medicines are among those that have been added to the latest version…The recommended changes bring the number of medicines on the Essential Medicines List to 502, and 361 for the Essential Medicines List for Children. For over 40 years, countries all over the world have relied on the WHO Essential Medicines List as a definitive, evidence-based guide to the most important medicines for delivering the biggest health impact. Rising prices and supply chain disruptions mean that all countries now face increasing problems in ensuring consistent and equitable access to many quality-assured essential medicines. WHO is committed to supporting all countries to overcome these obstacles to increase equitable access to essential medicines.
To mark the occasion, and to celebrate joint efforts to improve outcomes for children with cancer through the co-founded Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, which will improve access to quality assured free of cost essential medicines for children with cancer, the Director-General of WHO welcomed the President and Chief Executive Officer of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, to the weekly media briefing.
“Every year, an estimated 350,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in low and middle-income countries. Many of them cannot access the treatment they need. Only 25% of low-income countries cover childhood cancer medicines in their health benefit packages. This subjects children and families to significant suffering and financial hardship or puts them at risk of receiving substandard and falsified medicines. As a result, survival of children in these countries is less than 30%, compared with more than 90% for children in high-income countries.
“In September 2018, WHO launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, enabled by a contribution of US$15 million from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States. The initiative aims to reach survival rates of at least 60% in low and middle-income countries by 2030, focusing on six cancers that are highly curable and represent more than half of all childhood cancers. Thanks to our strong partnership with St Jude, the initiative is now active in more than 70 countries. So far, more than 20 of these countries have developed cancer strategies prioritising children and several have passed new legislation to include childhood cancer in their essential health benefit packages. Building on our partnership, in December 2021 WHO and St Jude announced the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines with the goal of providing universal, sustained access to quality-assured, essential cancer medicine for all children in low and middle-income countries, free of charge. St Jude has generously committed US$200 million over six years to finance the platform. So far, six countries have been engaged and purchase orders are being prepared to deliver products within the next six months. We aim to reach 120,000 children by 2027.
More information can be found in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines 2023, the Executive Summary and the related press release.
WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic
31 July: A new World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights that 5.6 billion people – 71% of the world’s population – are now protected with at least one best practice policy to help save lives from deadly tobacco – five times more than in 2007. In the last 15 years since WHO’s MPOWER tobacco control measures were introduced globally, smoking rates have fallen. Without this decline there would be an estimated 300 million more smokers in the world today. This WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is focused on protecting the public from second-hand smoke, highlighting that almost 40% of countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public places. The report rates country progress in tobacco control and shows that two more countries, Mauritius and the Netherlands, have achieved best-practice level in all MPOWER measures, a feat that only Brazil and Türkiye had accomplished until now. Smoke-free public spaces is just one policy in the set of effective tobacco control measures, MPOWER, to help countries implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and curb the tobacco epidemic.
For further information contact Vinayak Prasad
New tools and initiatives launched during the 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting
“The need for rehabilitation is far, far greater than most people assume. More than 2.4 billion people, almost a third of the global population, have health conditions that could benefit from rehabilitation"- Professor Jérôme Salomon opened the 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting with these remarks.
To respond to the Rehabilitation 2030 call for action introduced in 2017, WHO and external collaborators have poured their expertise into developing the following new tools and initiatives which were launched during the 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting:
The Package of interventions for rehabilitation (PIR) is a resource that outlines essential evidence-based interventions and related information to facilitate the planning, budgeting, and integration of rehabilitation at all service delivery levels in health systems.
The Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation (GROWE) provides a method and tools for collecting, analysing, and interpreting key rehabilitation workforce data. It uses labour market and competency analyses, engaging stakeholders across sectors and fostering their ongoing coordination and collaboration.
The Routine health information systems - rehabilitation toolkit supports the integration of rehabilitation into routine health facility reporting and the analysis of collected data through a standard set of indicators and considerations for their interpretation and use.
Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience: a policy brief outlines the evidence for rehabilitation in emergencies and the need for greater preparedness of rehabilitation services. It shows how existing guidelines support the integration of rehabilitation in emergencies and sets out the steps that decision makers can take to better integrate rehabilitation into health emergency preparedness and response.
Rehabilitation in health financing - opportunities on the way to universal health coverage presents an overview of financing practices for rehabilitation services around the world, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, and outlines key considerations and ways forward for policymakers to optimize financing arrangements for rehabilitation in their countries.
The World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) is a WHO-hosted global network of stakeholders whose mission is to support the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 through advocacy activities.
The WRA launch was celebrated with a video message by Emilia Clarke, actress and rehabilitation advocate, and a musical performance by Ricky Kej, 3x Grammy award winner including the first ever global rehabilitation song! A huge thanks to Ricky and his amazing team for being rehabilitation champions.
For more information write to rehabilitation@who.int
World Hearing Forum establishes a task force to enhance global stakeholder collaboration
Established in 2019, the World Hearing Forum (WHF) is a global advocacy alliance for promoting ear and hearing care. Currently, WHF has 187 members from across all regions and income groups. To amplify the forum's reach and impact, WHO has established a World Hearing Forum task force.
The task force will propose concrete actions to:
- foster greater engagement of WHF members in its activities, encouraging active participation and collaboration.
- widen membership base of the WHF, including increased representation of stakeholders from related health domains (e.g., child health, health of older adults, primary health care, and environmental health, mental health)
- promote an understanding of the need and means of integrating ear and hearing care in related health domains
With members from across the world, the task force will undertake a survey, conduct a stakeholder analysis, organize focus group discussions, and make its recommendations at the upcoming World Hearing Forum members’ meeting on 29 November 2023.
World Hearing Forum: https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-world-hearing-forum
Ear and Hearing Care: https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_1
For further information contact Shelly Chadha chadhas@who.int
WHO Routine Health Information Systems – Sensory Functions toolkit
The WHO Vision and eye care & Ear and Hearing care programmes have recently announced the publication of the Routine Health Information Systems – Sensory Functions toolkit.
This toolkit includes a DHIS2 Sensory functions: eye and ear car digital package and Guidance on the analysis and use of routine health information systems: eye and ear care module.
The Routine Health Information Systems – Sensory Functions toolkit aims to facilitate the monitoring of both eye and ear care services through a standard set of core facility indicators that guide data collection and reporting. The data provided inform the analysis, monitoring and evaluation processes to support planning and decision-making in health policy, management and clinical care.
For further information contact ALVES Carneiro
Impact of carbonated and energy drink taxes in Saudi Arabia
Impact evaluation of sugar-sweetened beverages taxes as part of nutrition policies in Gulf Cooperation Council countries
The consumption of sweetened drinks plays a major role in increasing the burden of diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence rate of obesity and overweight individuals in the EMR has increased alarmingly among children over the past decade, revealing a crucial need the initiate and monitor effective prevention measures of obesity. In 2017, Saudi Arabia became the first in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to implement an excise tax rate of 50% on carbonated drinks, and 100% on energy drinks. Currently, Saudi Arabia developing a policy brief on Health Taxation in Estimating the revenue and health implications of increased taxes on tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages in Saudi Arabia. It will be published soon. This report was funded by the Gulf Health Council under the UNDP/WHO Global Joint Programme on Catalyzing Multisectoral Action on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It was developed jointly by a team comprised of the United Nations Development Programme, the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia, the Secretariat of the United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs, the Gulf Health Council, the World Health Organization and UN Volunteers. The GCC countries make tax decisions as a regional bloc and as such Saudi Arabia can present the GCC with evidence of the fiscal and health benefits of increasing health taxes, leading the way for strong health taxation globally.
For further information contact Dr Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
Oman takes policy action to combat trans-fatty acids
Trans Fat Reduction Initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) regional nutrition strategy 2020–2030, has included specific objectives related to the virtual elimination of industrially-produced TFA from the food supply, and recommended a number of priority actions that will assist Member States in reaching these objectives. Oman has taken a significant step in tackling the issue of trans-fatty acids (TFAs) by implementing a ban on the production, import, and marketing of partially hydrogenated oils and related food products. On 24 July 2022, the ban came into effect. The decision was expected, given that the problem of high TFA intake among the Omani population was highlighted in the National Nutrition Strategy 2020–2030, which aligns well with the WHO Regional Nutrition Strategy. The situation in Oman is similar to that in the EMR as a whole, where approximately 49% of adults are overweight or obese, with higher rates among women (53%) compared to men (more than 45%), and more than two in five deaths (45%) attributed to cardiovascular diseases.
For further information contact Dr Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
Successful strategies from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Mitigating NCDs and mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
The department of noncommunicable diseases and mental health at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has launched its new publication entitled ‘Stories from the field: sharing successful strategies from the Eastern Mediterranean Region in mitigating noncommunicable diseases and mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond’. These stories from the field showcase the strategies that countries took to mitigate NCDs and ensure continuity of care for patients, while simultaneously protecting them and the wider population from COVID-19. As the pandemic took hold, countries took bold steps to protect their citizens: from banning the public use of waterpipes to using technology to improve access to primary health care. Many of these strategies can be used to improve both public health and access to health services beyond the pandemic. Countries across the Region also focused on the mental health of their citizens. New and innovative ways of accessing mental health support, despite pandemic restrictions, helped people receive the treatment they needed. Countries also turned the anxiety caused by the pandemic and its social and economic effects into an opportunity to break down taboos and promote the discussion of mental health issues. The Eastern Mediterranean Region is diverse and includes some of the world’s highest and lowest income countries. The work they have undertaken to address NCDs and mental health disorders in the face of not only COVID-19, but other crises, including conflict and population displacement, can therefore offer insights to a wide range of countries around the world. By sharing these stories from the field, WHO and countries of the Region aim to promote successful strategies to mitigate NCDs and mental health disorders now and in the future.
For further information contact Rana HANAFY
Webinar: The burden of diabetes in the region of the Americas: strategies to address it
17 August We are inviting you to join us on the PAHO´s webinar The burden of diabetes in the region of the Americas: strategies to address it, that will present evidence on the impact of diabetes on people's health and review the available strategies to deal with it. The webinar will take place on August 17, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EDT). During this event, the country profiles of the burden of diabetes and diabetic kidney disease developed by the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) of PAHO will be launched. For those who are not able to join live, the recording will be made available in the event page. The webinar will be broadcast in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, with simultaneous interpretation.
For further information contact Antini Irribarra, Dr. Carmen (WDC)
Ninth round of the NCD country capacity survey launched
Earlier in July, the WHO-NCD Department and NCD colleagues in the regional offices launched the ninth round of the NCD country capacity survey (NCD CCS). The NCD CCS enables WHO to periodically assess national-level response to NCDs and is completed by the NCD focal point within each country’s ministry of health or similar agency. Such periodic assessment allows countries and WHO to monitor progress and achievements in expanding capacities to respond to the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases. Data from the NCD CCS are available in the WHO Global Health Observatory. Supporting documents received from countries as part of their responses to the NCD CCS, such as NCD policies, guidelines and targets, are available in the WHO NCD Data Portal and the NCD document repository.
The questionnaire is comprised of four modules covering a range of NCD-related topics:
- public health infrastructure,
- partnerships and multisectoral collaboration;
- policies, strategies and action plans;
- health information systems and surveillance;
- health system capacity for detection, treatment and care.
Respondents are required to submit supporting documentation wherever possible to assist in validating responses. Data collection for the 2023 NCD CCS will continue into September.
Read the previous report of the 2021 round of the survey.
For further information please contact Melanie Cowan
Front-of-pack nutrition labelling
Appendix to the Manual to develop and implement front‑of‑pack nutrition labelling published
This is the appendix to the Manual to develop and implement front‑of‑pack nutrition labelling. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPL), and more specifically interpretative FOPL providing simplified nutritional information in the form of symbols, colours or words, is seen as a cost-effective measure to help consumers understand the nutritional quality of foods, and orient them towards healthier food choices at the point of purchase. WHO recommends the implementation of FOPL as one of the ‘best-buy’ measures to help prevent NCDs. FOPL aligns with the policy tools recommended in the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020 to create healthier food environments. Some countries in the WHO European region have implemented FOPL but this has taken different forms, with various degrees of interpretation of the nutritional composition of foods.
For further information contact European Nutrition
WHO Classification of Tumours
Publication of the WHO Classification of Tumours, 5th Edition, Volume 7: Paediatric Tumours
These authoritative and concise reference books provide indispensable international standards for anyone involved in the care of patients with cancer or in cancer research, underpinning individual patient treatment as well as research into all aspects of cancer causation, prevention, therapy, and education. Paediatric Tumours
WHO Classification of Tumours, 5th Edition, Volume 7
Edited by the WHO Classification of Tumours Editorial Board
For further information contact Veronique Teresse
Please send your updates for inclusion in the next edition of the NCDs Newsflash: johannesa@who.int
