From: <b class="gmail_sendername">John Mahama</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jmahama@gmail.com">jmahama@gmail.com</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><div>As Member States of the World Health Organisation prepare to commence the 65th World Health Assembly on 21st May 2012, PHM has called on WHO to develop a framework to guide its interaction with all "stakeholders" in the prevention and control of NCDs at global and national levels. Such a framework will protect WHO from influence by any form of vested interest or conflict of interest. The call is contained in a PHM Comment posted on the Global Health Watch website (<a href="http://www.ghwatch.org/who-watch/wha65/ncd" target="_blank">http://www.ghwatch.org/who-watch/wha65/ncd</a>) and shared below:</div>

<div> </div><div> </div><div><h2 dir="ltr"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:19px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold">WHA Item 13.01 Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)</span></h2>

<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Arial;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">Issues before the Assembly</span></h3>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">In 2011 two high levels meetings on NCDs were held: a Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy lifestyles and NCDs in Moscow in April 2011; and High Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Prevention and Control of NCDs in New York in September 2011. The World Health Assembly is invited to note the outcomes on these two meetings </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_6-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/6</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"> and provide further guidance. </span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">The Political Declaration on NCDs that was endorsed at the New York HLM called on WHO to present, before the end of 2012:</span><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">

<li style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">a comprehensive global monitoring framework, including a set of indicators, capable of application across regional and country settings, including through multisectoral process, to monitor trends and to assess progress made in the implementation of national strategies and plans on NCDs;</span></li>

<li style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">recommendations for a set of voluntary global targets for the prevention and control of NCDs.</span></li>

</ul><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">options for strengthening and facilitation multi-sectoral actions for the prevention and control of NCDs through partners</span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_7-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">hip</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">.</span></li>

</ul><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">In relation to these three items, the WHO Secretariat developed documents </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_6-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/6</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">, </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_6Add1-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/6 Add.1</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">, and </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_7-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/7</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">, and the Health Assembly is invited to note the reports, to share views and to provide further guidance.</span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">In addition, the WHA is invited to note reports on the implementation of the Global NCDs Strategy</span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_9-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"> (</span><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/9</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">) and Action Plan (</span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA65/A65_8-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">A65/8</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">).</span><br>

<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Arial;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">PHM Comment</span></h3>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">While there is rhetorical recognition of the larger scale issues of trade and industry practices in this report it seems there is very little action on this front.  The implications of ISDS for tobacco control and food regulation and the implications of ever tighter IP protection for affordable access to medicines are self evident.  But WHO has completely avoided them. Furthermore, the significance of neoliberal economic policies in widening inequalities have not been addressed. </span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">WHA resolution </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA59-REC1/e/Resolutions-en.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent">WHA59.26</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">  on international trade and health highlights a number of crucial issues in relation to trade and health, and the WHO’s role in capacity strengthening in this area. Global level action and coordination is needed to address some of the trade related determinants of NCDs (WTO, Codex), including the introduction of an international code on marketing of unhealthy foods, and drinks (including alcohol) to children. Because the factors that shape NCDs lie outside the reach of health policy, the most health gains in terms of prevention will be made by influencing policies in domains such as trade, food and pharmaceutical production, agriculture, urban development, and taxation policies.  Such approach to preventing NCDs should go beyond education, housing and agriculture to also include the structural determinants of health. We urge Member States to explicitly recognize the role of trade policies in the spread of NCD risk factors and commit to ensure that future trade treaties do not increase such risks.</span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">A continuing concern in relation to NCDs is the sustained focus on partnerships and engaging in multi-sector consultations. The private sector – whilst a very important actor for policy implementation – appears to be embedded throughout the processes . This is an important concern for food and nutrition, but also alcohol. The continued failure by WHO to distinguish between public interest NGOs (PINGOs) and Business interest NGOs (BINGOs) compounds this issue. The UN High Level Meeting “civil society hearing” which included representatives from the food and alcohol industry was a case in point.</span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">The WHO Director General, in her report to the WHA on progress on WHO Reform and governance (A65/5), states that member states have agreed to the following principle: “the development of norms, standards, policies and strategies, which lies at the heart of WHO’s work, must continue to be based on the systematic use of evidence and protected from influence by any form of vested interest.”  It is important for WHO to adopt this principle in determining future policy and governance and action on NCDs.</span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">Also in keeping with recommendations made in the WHO reform paper (A65/5): WHO should also develop a framework to guide interactions with all stakeholders on the prevention and control of NCDs, at both the national and global levels.</span><br>

<span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal"></span><br><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal">WHO should provide technical support and expert advice to member states on the implementation of fiscal, legislative and regulatory measures to improve food and nutrition. This should involve technical support to finance ministries on the administration of national food tax and regulatory systems and administration, as well as the production of manuals and toolkits.</span></div>

</div><br>