PHM-Exch> Joint PHM Statement to 65th WHA on Non-Communicable Diseases

[Heba Wanis]

*Statement By CMC/PHM at WHA65 on NCDs Agenda item 13.1*

*Delivered by Alice Fabbri of People's Health Movement * Thank you, Chair,
for the opportunity to address the distinguished members of the WHA on
behalf of Churches Action for Health and the People's Health Movement. Here
in WHO we are talking about NCDs. Meanwhile investor protection provisions
are being included in trade agreements. These are making the prospects for
effective regulation of the global agri-food industry very much dimmer. The
use by Big Tobacco of investor state dispute settlement provisions to
attack Australia's plain packaging regulations, should be a warning to
policy makers who see a role for industry regulation in the prevention and
control of NCDs. While we are discussing chronic disease management,
provisions being included in trade agreements to further extend patent
durations, maintain high prices for medicines. While we know that poverty
is associated with higher rates of NCDs, neoliberal economic policies
currently being implemented are leading to wider inequalities in income and
health. There is a mention of trade and industry factors in the global
strategy but there is no commitment to effective action on this front. WHO
has a mandate to work on the social and economic determinants of NCDs and
to work towards policy coherence across health and trade. The determinants
of NCDs locate in diverse fields: trade, food, agriculture, urban
development and taxation policies. We urge MS to strengthen the commitment
to action in relation to these issues. The development of the global
strategy has involved close collaboration with a range of private
enterprise players. In this connection the new provisions regarding
conflict of interest promised under the WHO Reform Program are urgently
needed. Transparency and integrity in these relationships are important at
the national as well as the global level and need to be observed in the
academic and research sector as well as in policy making. Thank you chair.


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 Heba Wanis
Project Coordinator
Democratising Global Health Governance
People's Health Movement
Global Secretariat Office, Cairo

Tel:   +2 022 268 22 78
Mob: +20 122 314 0318 (Egypt)
        +41 7677 07800 (Switzerland)
Web: www.phmovement.org
         www.ghwatch.org
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