28 February 2017 – The burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) in the Eastern Mediterranean region continues to grow and tackling this burden constitutes one of the major development challenges of the 21st century. NCDs claimed over 2.2 million lives in 2012, over 57% of all deaths. Future projections indicate there will be an alarming increase in the prevalence of NCDs with the 4 main NCDs causing as many as 2.4 million deaths in 2025, unless serious action is taken.
With the support of WHO, the Government of Egypt is developing a national multisectoral action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs for 2017–2022. From 20 February to 1 March, WHO staff from headquarters, the Regional Office and Egypt country office discussed development of the plan with the curative sector and NCD unit of the Ministry of Health and Population and with representatives of the Ministries of Education, Youth and Sports, Supply and Internal Trade. They looked at global and regional initiatives on NCDS and agreed on methods and approaches in finalizing the plan which will align with the "Global monitoring framework on NCDs". The global framework includes 25 indicators to track the implementation of the “Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020” through monitoring and reporting on the attainment of the voluntary global targets in 2015 and 2020.
In October 2012, a regional framework for action was endorsed by the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. This document is a road map for countries in the Region to implement the United Nations Political Declaration on Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. Implementation of the regional framework will contribute to progress on the 9 global NCD targets to be attained in 2025, which include a 25% relative reduction in premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 2025.
The WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on prevention and control of NCDs, established in September 2014, enhances coordination of activities, multi-stakeholder engagement and action across sectors in order to contribute to the implementation of the global action plan, and this mechanism will support Egypt in the development of its national multisectoral action plan and monitoring framework to meet the 9 global targets for NCDs by 2025.
Related links
About 25 indicators of the Global monitoring framework on NCDs
Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020
Framework for action to implement the UN Political Declaration on NCDs