Monitoring progress and acceleration plan for NCDs in the South-East Asia region

11 Oct 2024

This statement was delivered by Dr. Shamim Hayder Talukder, our Advocacy Committee member for SEARO, at the Seventy-Seventh Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia

SEVENTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE WHO REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA

AGENDA ITEM 9.6

Honourable Chair,

Distinguished Delegates,

The World Heart Federation applauds WHO and its Member States for the strides made in addressing noncommunicable diseases in the South-East Asia region.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for over 20.5 million deaths every year. A significant portion of cardiovascular conditions are preventable through the adoption of simple, cost-effective, and, in some cases, revenue-generating strategies. Nonetheless, effective implementation requires adequate investment in universal health coverage, as well as systems and services for NCDs.

In preparation for the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, WHF calls on Member States to:

  • Negotiate a bold Political Declaration on NCDs;
  • Develop or strengthen National Cardiovascular Health Plans to secure sustainable funding and expand access to cardiovascular health services across the entire continuum of care;
  • Ensure full implementation of policy commitments; and
  • Support evidence-based actions for cardiovascular health.

In particular, we urge Member States to:

We also wish to stress the importance of addressing the social, economic, commercial, and environmental determinants of health – particularly industry interference – to reduce the burden of NCDs in the region.

Thank you.