Policy reform to realize the commitments of the Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases

BACKGROUND: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) caused an estimated 36 million deaths in 2008. Recognizing that NCDs are a global health and development priority, Heads of State and government adopted the Political Declaration on NCDs (resolution A/RES/66/2) at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2011. SOURCES OF DATA: The Political Declaration of the United Nations High Level meeting on NCDs, World Health Organization (WHO) reports on NCDs and WHO Country Cooperation Strategy documents. AREAS OF AGREEMENT: NCDs are a growing threat to health and development. Cost of action and inaction are known. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY: Accountability of all stakeholders including the private sector is essential for an effective global public health response. More clarity is needed on the private sector contribution to the response to safeguard public health from any potential conflict of interest. GROWING POINTS: A country-led public health policy response should include, at a minimum, national scale-up of very cost-effective, high impact NCD interventions to improve health outcomes and health equity with universal coverage as a long-term public health goal. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH: Policy reform and accelerated national scale-up action, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries, must be guided by translation research and feedback information from monitoring and evaluation.