Heads of State and Government will come together to address the prevention and control of NCDs worldwide at the High-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs between 19–20 September 2011 in New York.
This is the second time in the history of the United Nations that the General Assembly meet with the participation of Heads of State and Government on an emerging health issue with a major socio-economic impact (the last issue was AIDS). The aim is for countries to adopt a concise, action-oriented outcome document that will shape the global agendas for generations to come.
Two developments have led to the High-level meeting at this juncture. The first development is the growing international awareness that premature deaths from NCDs reduces productivity, curtails economic growth, and poses a significant social challenge in most countries. The second development is the new unequivocal evidence that “best buy” interventions to reduce the toll of premature deaths due to NCDs are workable solutions and that they are excellent economic investments – including in the poorest countries.
Presentation by Professor K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India, President, World Heart Foundation, on noncommunicable diseases in primary health care