Humans are facing unprecedented impacts from effects of climate change. NCDs are set to become dramatically worse as temperatures rise. Read more about the links between NCD and Climate Change in an Op-Ed published this week in Health Policy Watch. As the world heats up, we must act to prevent and treat NCDs such as acute heat stroke to chronic kidney disease.
NCDs Need to be on COP28 Agenda
22 August: A Health Policy Watch: Inside View article called “Global Warming Surpasses Limits of Human Survival, Non-Communicable Diseases Need to be on COP28 Agenda”, was written by WHO experts: Bente Mikkelsen, Maria Neira & Marit Viktoria Pettersen.
The 28th United Nations climate conference, scheduled to open on 30 November in Dubai, has pledged to elevate health issues, but non-communicable diseases – which are set to become dramatically worse as temperatures rise – are nowhere on the agenda. Prevention of climate– and heat-related diseases need to be on the formal Conference of Parties (COP) 28 negotiating agenda – not just on the sidelines. Humans are facing unprecedented health impacts from heat. Wildfires across Canada, Hawaii and Algeria, killer heat waves from Texas to India, China, southern Europe, and Morocco, and summer temperatures in the middle of the winter season in Argentina and Chile. The relentless, heat-related effects of climate change are more and more manifest – along with their human toll in terms of deaths and diseases from acute heat stroke to chronic kidney disease.
For further information contact Marit Viktoria Pettersen
Not only traumas: Disasters fuel NCD-related deaths
5 – 6 September Copenhagen, Denmark: WHO European regional consultation – NCDs in emergency preparedness and response: from permacrisis to resilience. NCDs such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory conditions are a major threat to people’s health, leading to 90% of all deaths in the WHO European Region. This threat does not go away even during emergencies, and is often exacerbated as our attention is set on short-term or acute hazards, such as infections or traumas. WHO/Europe has identified 15 countries and territories that are prone to emergencies due to geographical or other reasons, and where vulnerabilities in health systems can hinder abilities to respond to hazards.
For further information contact the WHO Europe office
Breast & cervical cancer screening practices in nine countries
Breast and cervical cancer screening practices in nine countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia: A population-based survey is now published in Science Direct. Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) countries have higher cervical and breast cancer mortality rates and later stage at diagnosis compared with the rest of WHO European Region. The aim was to explore current early detection practices including “dispensarization” for breast and cervix cancer in the region. Our study documents that parallel screening systems for both breast and cervix cancers, as well as departures from evidence-based practices are widespread across the EECA. Within the framework of the WHO Initiatives, existing opportunistic screening should be replaced by population-based programs that include quality assurance and control.
For further information contact Marilys Anne CORBEX
Second WHO Symposium on the Future of Digital Health Systems in the European Region
5 – 6 September Porto, Portugal: Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) in health has sparked public debate on the extent to which technology, and more specifically generative AI, has the potential to infringe upon personal privacy and impact the health of populations. To explore this and other issues impacting current and future European Region health system landscapes, WHO/Europe is hosting the second WHO Symposium on the Future of Digital Health Systems in the European Region on 5–6 September. To be held in Porto, Portugal, and co-organized with the Portuguese government, the symposium will bring together government representatives, key thought leaders, policy experts, academics, health-care workers, civil society representatives, professional organizations and other partners to help shape actions in support of the “Regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030” approved at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in 2022.
For further information contact the WHO Europe office
Webinar: Alcohol cultures and stigma
4 September: WHO/Europe is holding a webinar in the series Alcohol and Public Health on the topic Alcohol cultures and stigma: overview of key concepts.
Speakers:
- Ilora Finlay, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, former Chair of the Commission on Alcohol Harm, United Kingdom [TBC]
- Georg Schomerus, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Germany
The webinar is part of the WHO/EU Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION), funded by the European Commission. The project's objective is to use scientific evidence to promote and facilitate the implementation of effective alcohol policies in the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Ukraine. Register here.
For further information contact the WHO Europe office
Hypertension in Cabo Verde
The government of Cabo Verde is implementing PEN and increasing access to medicines NCDs are responsible for 70% of all deaths in Cabo Verde
For further information contact Ms. Vânia Conceição TAVARES DA LOMBA
WHO Global Evidence-to-Policy Summit
29 - 31 August: The second Global Evidence-to-Policy Summit will be an opportunity for researchers, policy-makers, and knowledge brokers to exchange ideas and inspiration to enhance evidence-informed decision-making. It takes on average 17 years for applied health research to translate into policies, products, or technologies. This lack of speed costs the global economy millions of dollars and has an untold impact on lives. The Summit will be an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange best practices, examples, and innovation with the ambition of closing the gap between research and implementation. Sessions will feature interactive discussions about enhancing public trust in science, the role of cross-evidence ecosystem collaboration, institutionalizing evidence use and the potential use of AI and Foresight to facilitate evidence to policy translation. The Summit is a free and fully virtual event.
For further information contact Katherine THOMPSON
Become a member of the World Hearing Forum
Interested in becoming a member of the World Hearing Forum and advocating for #hearingcare and #safelistening? World Hearing Forum membership applications open now until 30 September 2023! The World Hearing Forum is a global network of stakeholders promoting ear and hearing care worldwide. It includes three working groups: Changemakers, World Hearing Day, and Make Listening Safe (MLS). The World Hearing Forum are on the lookout for dynamic members to join and contribute to its activities and spread its messages worldwide.
WHO creates standards that outline safe listening features for a variety of situations where unsafe practices are common. These include the WHO-ITU Global standard for safe listening devices and systems and The Global standard for safe listening venues and events. WHO offers support to its Member States, private sector entities, and civil society in adoption and implementation of these standards.
All should check their hearing from time to time, especially those who are at a higher risk of hearing loss such as those who often listen to loud music, play video games, work in noisy places, use medicines that are harmful to hearing, or who are above 50 years old. Use WHO's free hearWHO app for a simple hearing test. Now available in Chinese, Dutch, English, Russian and Spanish.
For more information contact Carolina Pardal Belinchón
Webinar for SEARO NCD Dashboard
28 August: A webinar on ‘WHO SEARO NCD Dashboard: one-stop shop for data on NCDs' is scheduled for 28 August 2023 1200HRS-1330HRS (IST). The WHO SEARO NCD dashboard (SEARO NCD Dashboard (who.int) is a dynamic, interactive, and responsive tool where the users are able to readily access the information on different aspects of NCDs. The webinar is targeted at the policy makers, programme managers, public health practitioners and researchers of the South-East Asia Region and beyond and the objective is to showcase the elements of the Dashboard with a live demonstrate to encourage its use as a reliable source of data which can be compared across the countries and over time.
For further information contact Dr. Cherian VERGHESE
Call for Experts: Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
September 1 is the deadline for entry to apply to be a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
For further information contact the NCD Department
Mental health action plan for the WHO South-East Asia Region 2023–2030
Member States of the Region have initiated processes to strengthen leadership and governance for mental health. Several countries have developed and implemented mental health plans, strategies and legislations. Direct spending on mental health needs to be increased throughout the Region through the health sector as well as other relevant sectors.
For further information contact SEARO Library
Study of cancer mortality after exposure to radiation
Cancer mortality after low dose exposure to ionising radiation in workers in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States (INWORKS): cohort study. A new article by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and partner institutions in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the USA finds that workers in nuclear facilities who are persistently exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation experience an increase in deaths due to cancer. “This major update of cancer risk in a large cohort of nuclear workers who were exposed to ionizing radiation provides additional evidence to strengthen radiation protection measures for workers and the general public,” says Dr Mary Schubauer-Berigan, Acting Head of the Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch at IARC. “Protection against harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation is of primary interest as its use becomes more widespread in contemporary medical and occupational settings.”
Further information contact Veronique TERRASSE
Please send your updates for inclusion in the next edition of the NCDs Newsflash: kennedyan@who.int
