UN General Assembly on NCDs -
Time to address a neglected global epidemic
14 May 2010
The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on 13 May on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which seeks to halt the increasing trends in premature deaths from NCDs worldwide, with a particular focus on developing countries.
The resolution builds on objective 1 of the NCD Global Strategy Action Plan 2008-2013, which calls on global development initiatives to take into account the prevention and control of NCDs and raise the priority accorded to NCD in development work at global and national levels.
The resolution calls on Member States and the international community to:
- convene a high-level meeting of the General Assembly in September 2011, with the participation of Heads of State and Government, on the prevention and control of NCDs;
- include at the high-level plenary meeting to review the MDGs in September 2010, discussions on the rising incidence and the socio-economic impact of NCDs in developing countries; and
- request the UN Secretary-General to prepare a global status report on NCDs, with a particular focus on the developmental challenges faced by developing countries.
This initiative comes on the heels of the Ministerial Declaration adopted at ECOSOC High-level Segment in July 2009, which calls for urgent action to implement the NCD Global Strategy Action Plan endorsed by the World Health Assembly in May 2008.
The "Doha Declaration on NCDs and Injuries" issued by the participants of the ECOSOC/UNESCWA/WHO Western Asia Ministerial Meeting organized in May 2009 under the leadership of the Prime-Minister of Qatar, underlines the importance of raising the priority accorded to NCD in development work at global and national levels.
In his address during the General Debate of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2009, the Prime-Minister of Trinidad and Tobago then called on the Assembly to convene a high-level meeting on NCDs at the earliest opportunity.
This was followed by a statement on Commonwealth action to combat NCDs issued at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November 2009.
Introducing the draft resolution on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the UN General Assembly yesterday, the representative of Trinidad and Tobago said that NCDs accounted for 60 per cent of all deaths globally but had not received the level of attention, coordination or funding that reflected their staggering mortality rate and socio-economic impact in developing countries.
The representatives of Spain (on behalf of the EU) and the US welcomed the adoption after the vote. Spain's representative, pledging EU's action, said that many of the diseases under discussion were avoidable and that activities should focus on reinforcing preventive measures. He considered WHO to play a major role in developing and utilizing standardized indicators.
The representative of the US said it was committed to reducing the threat of NCDs through initiatives of the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and support to actions by other countries in a way that was complementary to the global strategies of the WHO.
As we push for solutions to the greatest public health burden, we are eager for innovative thinking and approaches. I should like to thank all Member States and international partners in helping to increase action to address the leading cause of death in the world.
Tackling NCDs constitutes one of the major challenges for sustainable development in the twenty-first century. I look forward to working with you towards the next milestone.
Dr Ala Alwan
Assistant Director-General
Noncommunicable Diseases & Mental Health
World Health Organization
20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
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HYPERLINKS:
United Nations General Assembly Resolution
A/RES/64/265 on the Prevention and Control of
Noncommunicable Diseases contained in document A/64/L.52
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A%2F64%2FL.52&Submit=Sea
rch&Lang=E
NCD Global Strategy Action Plan endorsed
by the World Health Assembly in May 2008:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241597418_eng.pdf
ECOSOC/UNESCWA/WHO Western Asia
Ministerial Meeting on addressing NCDs and injuries (10-11
May 2009, Doha, Qatar):
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/newfunct/amr2009qatarstat.shtml
Summary of 2009 discussions on NCDs at
ECOSOC:
http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ecosoc_summary_en.pdf
2009 ECOSOC High-level Segment - Ministerial
Declaration:
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/pdf09/ministerial_declaration-2009.p
df
Statement issued at Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting on Commonwealth action to combat NCDs:
www.thecommonwealth.org/files/216911/FileName/StatementonCommonwealthAct
iontoCombatNon-CommunicableDiseases.pdf
NCDnet:
http://www.who.int/ncdnet/en/
Appointment of FEND Professor of Diabetes Nursing
9 May 2010
The future of diabetes nursing in Europe received a boost this month following the appointment of Professor Angus Forbes as the newly created Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND) Chair in Clinical Diabetes Nursing at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery at King’s College London. The position is a collaboration between FEND, King’s College and the Diabetes Centre at King’s College Hospital (KCH).
Diabetes is a diverse and dynamic field of health care. The world pandemic of Type 2 diabetes and the rising incidence of Type 1 make this a critically important topic in global health and the need for high quality diabetes care has never been more acute. The prevalence of diabetes threatens to overwhelm health care systems across the Europe and in addition to this there are challenges in the nursing workforce.
Key priorities of Professor Forbes’ as Chair in Clinical Diabetes Nursing will be to generate and disseminate high quality state of the art clinical knowledge and practice to improve and extend the contribution of nursing to diabetes care across Europe. Professor Forbes will realise these priorities through the development of internationally recognised programmes of research and education that reflect the clinical needs and priorities of people with diabetes within Europe, working with existing networks of diabetes nurses and researchers.
The Chair is jointly funded by FEND and KCH. The role has been funded for three years, with a view to extending for a further two years on delivering key objectives.
As part of the Diabetes Centre at KCH Professor Forbes will also work with Professor Stephanie Amiel, who has led a pioneering multi disciplinary team that collaboratively developed the UK’s Type 1 patient education programme, Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE), and which also successfully achieved islet cell transplantation in a Type 1 diabetes patient to resolve intractable problems with hypoglycaemia. Islet cells are obtained from donor pancreases and are transplanted by injection into the liver of the recipient. Once in the liver, the cells develop their own blood supply and begin producing insulin. This breakthrough had not been achieved in the UK before and has major implications for diabetes sufferers, as it is hoped that further refinements of the technique could mean that insulin dependency may be a thing of the past.
Anne Felton, FEND President, said of Professor Forbes’ appointment:
‘The pandemic of diabetes requires leadership from the many disciplines in diabetes care, research and education. The establishment of the FEND/KCL Chair in diabetes nursing signifies the essential contribution that the profession of nursing will make in confronting this grave societal challenge.’Professor Stephanie Amiel, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at King’s and Consultant in Diabetes at KCH, said:
‘We are very excited to be hosting the FEND chair at King’s. Diabetes pioneered the development of specialist nursing and the further involvement of diabetes nurses is crucial to all our plans in to provide first class diabetes management and prevention to all in need. We look forward to supporting Angus to drive the evolution of diabetes services locally and through Europe.’Professor Forbes said:
‘I am excited by the opportunity afforded by this post which will help enhance the contribution of nurses to the care of the many millions of people with diabetes across Europe.’
FEND Chair in Clinical Diabetes Nursing
at King's College London
An outstanding opportunity for an outstanding Diabetes Nurse
We are seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified nurses for the position of Professor of Clinical Diabetes Nursing. This appointment, funded by FEND and King’s College Hospital London for an initial 5 year period, gives the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the development of diabetes nursing across Europe.
The overall ambition of the chair in diabetes nursing at KCL is to generate and disseminate high quality state-of-the-art clinical knowledge and practice to improve and extend the contribution of nursing to diabetes care across Europe. This ambition will be realised through the development of internationally recognised programmes of research and education that reflect the clinical needs and priorities of people with diabetes within Europe. The Chair will work with and expand existing networks of diabetes nurses and educators across Europe to ensure wide participation in the programmes of work and help develop common themes of clinical knowledge. The Chair will seek to enhance and galvanise diabetes nursing science across Europe to provide a lasting legacy.
If you are interested in discussing this post informally, or for a copy of the job description, please contact:
Professor Christine Norton, Associate Dean (Research),
Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery,
King’s College
London SE1 8WA
+44 (0)20 7848 3828
Christine.s.norton@kcl.ac.uk
Closing date for initial expressions of interest 30th
September 2009
New report - "DIABETES The Policy Puzzle: Is Europe Making Progress?"
19 Sept 2008
The International Diabetes Federation – European Region (IDF Europe) and the Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND) are pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of their pan-European diabetes policy audit entitled: 'Diabetes - The Policy Puzzle: Is Europe Making Progress?’
Following the success of the first report carried out in 2005 ('Diabetes - The Policy Puzzle: Towards Benchmarking in the EU 25'), the second edition has been extended to cover the EU’s 27 member states plus an additional three countries – Croatia, Turkey and Kazakhstan. It also contains a special policy focus on high risk groups in these countries.
The 2008 report provides the latest evidence of the spiralling diabetes epidemic in Europe – now affecting over 31 million people in the EU - together with a comparative analysis of national diabetes policies and practices across Europe with a view to promoting best practice in the prevention, screening and management of the disease.
Based on the conclusions of this report, and the disappointing lack of progress made by countries since the last audit, IDF Europe and FEND continue to advocate for the need for EU policy action on diabetes.
Download the 2008
report (3.4MB)
First UN World Diabetes Day 14 November 2007
13 November 2007
November 14 mark the first United Nations-observed World Diabetes Day. The campaign was led by the International Diabetes Federation.
Over 200 landmark monuments around the world will light up in blue to mark the occasion. Included among them are many of the world's most iconic buildings and sites. The landmarks will light up the skyline in the blue colour of the diabetes circle, the global symbol for diabetes.
The London Eye and the Shell Tower (see photo) were lit in blue starting on Friday 9 November.
See more photos...