Country actions to meet UN commitments on non-communicable diseases: a stepwise approach

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 381; no. 9866; pp. 575 - 584
• Main Authors: Bonita, Ruth, Prof, Magnusson, Roger, Prof, Bovet, Pascal, Prof, Zhao, Dong, Prof, Malta, Deborah C, Prof, Geneau, Robert, PhD, Suh, Il, Prof, Thankappan, Kavumpurathu Raman, Prof, McKee, Martin, Prof, Hospedales, James, FFPHM, de Courten, Maximilian, Prof, Capewell, Simon, Prof, Beaglehole, Robert, Prof
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 16.02.2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Accountability; Alcohol use; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; cost effectiveness; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Costs; Disease; Disease prevention; General aspects; Health Priorities; Humans; Internal Medicine; leadership; Low income groups; Medical sciences; monitoring; Mortality; National Health Programs - economics; National Health Programs - organization & administration; planning; Politics; Preventive Health Services - economics; Preventive Health Services - organization & administration; Preventive Medicine - economics; Preventive Medicine - organization & administration; Program Evaluation; Risk Factors; Smoking Cessation; Society; Sodium, Dietary; stakeholders; United Nations; Medicine; Methodology; Countries
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61993-X

Strong leadership from heads of state is needed to meet national commitments to the UN political declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to achieve the goal of a 25% reduction in premature NCD mortality by 2025 (the 25 by 25 goal). A simple, phased, national response to the political declaration is suggested, with three key steps: planning, implementation, and accountability. Planning entails mobilisation of a multisectoral response to develop and support the national action plan, and to build human, financial, and regulatory capacity for change. Implementation of a few priority and feasible cost-effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of NCDs will achieve the 25 by 25 goal and will need only few additional financial resources. Accountability incorporates three dimensions: monitoring of progress, reviewing of progress, and appropriate responses to accelerate progress. A national NCD commission or equivalent, which is independent of government, is needed to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are held accountable for the UN commitments to NCDs.