Good morning, good afternoon and good evening dear Excellencies, distinguished participants, colleagues, partners and friends.
My sincere thanks to the Governments of Ghana and Norway for co-organizing this International Strategic Dialogue on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This Flagship Initiative – which brings together two countries in the African Region and three in the South-East Asia Region – is very much aligned with our own Flagship Priorities, which since 2014 have included preventing and controlling NCDs through high-impact and cost-effective best buy interventions, guided by each country’s multisectoral NCD action plan.
Need it be said: We embark on this Dialogue at a critical moment.
Far from sidelining the NCD agenda, the COVID-19 pandemic must renew and ramp up action to address NCDs through whole-of-government, whole-of-society approaches.
Such approaches must adequately address the social, economic, commercial and developmental aspects of NCDs, from unhealthy air and exposure to harmful chemicals, to food systems that cause both underweight and obesity, a lack of green and healthy spaces in urban areas, and inadequate regulation of the advertising and sale of unhealthy products such as alcohol and tobacco.
The evidence is clear: People who are socio-economically challenged are more vulnerable to unhealthy behaviors. To mitigate such vulnerabilities, a differential response is needed – a response that leverages the unique, first-hand experience such people and communities have, in line with the ground-breaking “Nothing for us, Without Us” meeting and report.
But as this Flagship Initiative highlights, we must also leverage the full impact of high-level commitment and action, not only from the health sector, but from across sectors and at all levels – including Heads of State and governments – and with the support of catalytic and sustained funding from our many partners and friends.
Strong primary health care and universal health coverage; robust implementation research and-- the collection and analysis of timely and reliable data; evidence-based legislation, regulation and fiscal interventions; the effective harnessing of digital technology and innovations – these are among the most powerful tools we have to turn the tide and achieve our 2025 and 2030 targets.
And I note: They are tools which are at the very heart of the South-East Asia Region’s new Strategy for Primary Health Care and our forthcoming NCD Implementation Roadmap 2022–2030.
I wish this Dialogue all success and reiterate the Region’s steadfast commitment to a multisectoral and inclusive NCD response, ensuring all people have access to quality, safe, effective, affordable and essential medical products and technologies to prevent, screen, diagnose and treat NCDs – today’s greatest development challenge.
Thank you.