“25 by 25”

Commitment to concrete goal at World Health Assembly

At the 65^th World Health Assembly – following concerted lobbying by organisations including the NCD Alliance, for whom it has been a major aim – international agreement was reached on setting a global target of a 25 per cent reduction in premature mortality from NCD by 2025: 25×25. There had been a fear that member states would not agree to such a concrete goal, but support was received from countries including Jamaica, Samoa, the United States, Barbados, Canada, Australia, Egypt, Brazil, Norway, Russian Federation, Thailand and Switzerland, and the goal was passed.

• Draft resolution of the WHA: click here >>

The resolution from the WHA also expressed ‘strong support’ for additional work aimed at reaching consensus on targets relating to the main risk factors (tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity). Targets suggested in a consultation earlier in the year (see here >>) were:

• 25 per cent relative reduction in blood pressure
  30 per cent relative reduction in tobacco use
• 30 per cent relative reduction in salt use, with aim of achieving 5g a day
• 10 per cent relative reduction in physical inactivity

There is also support for further work towards targets on obesity, fat intake, alcohol and health-systems responses. The remaining targets are to be agreed at a formal member state consultation before the end of October.

The resolution also calls for a formal meeting of member states to be held before the end of October 2012, at which member states should ‘conclude the work on the comprehensive global monitoring framework, including indicators and a set of global voluntary targets for the prevention and control of NCDs’, and regional consultations are ongoing. The October 2012 outcome will be submitted to the 132nd Executive Board in January and 66th WHA next year, and it is expected that the global monitoring framework and global targets under discussion will form an integral part of the next Global Action Plan for NCDs.

Also discussed at the WHA was partnership. The NCD Alliance notes that it continues to call on member states to establish a global coordinating platform (here >>) to lead a global multisectoral response to the NCD epidemic.

Also of interest to C3 was a further resultion on strengthening NCD policies to promote active ageing. The resolution urges Member States to encourage the active participation of older people in society, increase healthy ageing and promote the highest standard of health and well-being for older persons by addressing their needs.

For some blogs from the WHA, see the NCD Action website here >>

Sources: IP Watch, 25 May 2012 (here >>); NCD Alliance.

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