Representatives from the ERS joined a global debate at the UN Headquarters last week (16 June 2011) to address the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which account for nearly two thirds of deaths worldwide each year.

Academics, public health experts and health activists, joined together for the hearing which is a precursor for the first-ever high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of these diseases, which will begin in New York on 19 September 2011.

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), 36.1 million people died in 2008 from conditions such as heart disease, strokes, chronic lung diseases, cancers and diabetes. Nearly 80 per cent of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

Joseph Deiss, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, said: "No one actor is able to harness the resources necessary or address the complex range of factors that are driving the progression of these diseases. An important challenge that the global community faces is how to build partnerships and respond effectively at a time of financial constraint and at a time when there is still much work to do on other global health issues."

Prof Francesco Blasi, Vice-President of the ERS, said: "We welcomed the opportunity to feed into this discussion on non-communicable diseases. Chronic respiratory diseases will be the diseases of the future. They are not only highly prevalent chronic diseases, but their prevalence is also increasing. Our input into the meeting included 20 specific and achievable outcomes, which we believe will help tackle the non-communicable burden. We must work together and pool resources to address this growing crisis."

For further information visit:

• UN press release

• WHO webpages

• For full ERS position see: ERS input into the UN Civil Society interactive hearing on NCDs 16 June 2011