Global health promotion
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Global health promotion · Dec 2013
The Consortium for NCD Prevention and Control in Sub-Saharan Africa (CNCD-Africa): from concept to practice.
CNCD-Africa was established in July 2009 in response to and in recognition of the continuously increasing burden of diseases such as injuries, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health in low- and middle-income countries, and specifically in countries of sub-Saharan Africa. CNCD-Africa aims to comprehensively address specific and common objectives while building capacity in the region to prevent and control NCDs. With support from key partners and funders, and a keen interest in opportunities to address NCDs from health promotion and equity perspectives, the Consortium has excelled in four key areas: convening; knowledge generation and sharing; advocacy; and networking. ⋯ Sustaining such partnerships requires incentives for the various partners to keep actively involved in NCD action. This can be achieved through joint inception, project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Another ingredient for success seems to be innovative financing for NCD efforts, which is possible through the establishment and sustaining of regional and global partnerships that are robust, locally relevant and respond to country needs.
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Global health promotion · Dec 2013
Commentary on a meeting entitled 'Building global capacity for non-communicable diseases (NCD) prevention: Defining direction and roles'.
This Commentary summarizes the key points that arose during a three-day meeting held in Atlanta in July 2012 on Building Global Capacity for NCD Prevention. A wide spectrum of participants representing many sectors of global health, including ministries of health from several low and middle-income countries (LMICs), governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, national disease associations, academia, and global and regional institutions participated. ⋯ While there was considerable agreement on what should be done, the workshop participants had difficulty in prioritizing these activities. This led to an agreement by the gathered participants that a follow-up Delphi study be conducted to help with prioritization.
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Though not necessarily using the same terminology historically, people concerned with the public's health have long been addressing the social context of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the actions of promoting health. This commentary places the current interest in NCDs within that history and discusses the challenges that continue to face institutions in dealing with NCDs. It makes a particular plea for the role of health promotion as the area of public health that takes actions to address the global burden of NCDs. Without a health promotion focus, we will just continue to describe the NCD burden rather than reduce it.