The Check-Up: Non-Communicable Diseases

Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Nils Daulaire on October 17, 2012 participated in a forum reflecting on action taken to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) during the previous 12 months.  Sponsored by the Washington Post and others, the event was streamed live online and served to reconvene leaders to recognize and discuss the positive steps taken in the year after the United Nations High Level Meeting on NCDs.  The Political Declaration of that UN meeting in 2011 identified NCDs as a major global health and development issue.  Dr. Daulaire participated in a similar event at the Washington Post in 2011 shortly after the UN High Level Meeting.

With roughly 20 panelists representing government and multilateral organizations, civil society and academia, and commercial entities, the forum was divided into three sections.  The first focused on Combating NCDs Worldwide in 2012.  Dr. Daulaire said, “HHS is deeply committed to addressing global health issues including NCDs, and we continue to be strongly committed to raising the profile of NCDs as a major global health concern.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, have been central partners in the Global Tobacco Surveillance Systems Surveys that are increasing the understanding of tobacco use and prevalence among youth and adults.  The National Institute of Health’s Fogarty International Center has a Medical Education Partnership that helps in the training of health and research personnel in low- and middle-income countries.”

The second section centered on One Year Later: Progress Made and What’s Left to Accomplish.  Here, Dr. Daulaire highlighted HHS programs including the Global Smoke-free Worksite Challenge, and he emphasized the World Health Organization as a leader on the High Level Meeting follow-up.  Dr. Daulaire serves as the U.S. Representative to the Executive Board of the WHO.

The third section of the day focused on The Domestic and Worldwide Diabetes Epidemic.  The four major NCDs are cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. 

To watch the forum in its entirety or to view individual highlight clips, please visit www.washingtonpost.com/postlive/ncds.

Click to see enlarged images