ERS alongside partners from the European Chronic Disease Alliance (ECDA) has published a set of recommendations aimed at advancing action on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Europe.
The recommendations come ahead of the third United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs, which will take place on 27 September 2018.
ERS attended the first HLM on NCDs in September 2011, which saw Member States commit to a Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of NCDs that contained 22 action points for the NCD response, the development of global goals, and targets for a comprehensive global monitoring framework for NCDs.
In July 2014 at the second HLM on NCDs, Member States conducted a review of progress and outlined new commitments to accelerate actions on NCDs, which resulted in four time-bound national commitments for 2015/2016 to drive progress at the national level.
The upcoming HLM will be an opportunity for Member States to conduct a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of NCDs within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. The ECDA recommendations advise European institutions to:
- Show political leadership at the UN NCD meeting
- Encourage EU Member State Heads to attend and contribute meaningfully to outcomes that prioritise NCD investment, stepping up action on childhood obesity, adopting policies to support health and improving access to treatment
- Support EU Member States to fulfil their commitments by pursuing a positive contribution to the global NCD agenda, leveraging national NCD prevention efforts, and strengthening the social dimension of Europe with people-centred policies
ERS plans to attend the HLM to ensure respiratory disease is represented in this unique opportunity to shape the political framework for NCDs.