Geneva, 18 September 2013 –In celebration of the second anniversary of the United Nations (UN) High Level Summit, and as a follow up to last year’s presidential advisory, the Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce is making a call to world leaders to continue the progress made on addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and CVD. Just two years ago heads of state met in New York and made a global commitment to reduce NCD deaths, which amount to 36 million a year and is estimated to grow to 55 million by 2030. Applauding successes to date - which include the adoption of global targets and indicators to address NCDs, including a 25 percent reduction in premature global mortality by 2025, and the agreement of a Global Action Plan for NCDs, which includes these targets and indicators - the Taskforce maintains that momentum must continue with the CVD community taking the lead. Representing nearly half of all NCD deaths, CVD continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide.
As about 80 per cent of NCD deaths are in low- and middle-income countries ,where human and financial resources are most limited to address them, has ensured global attention. Work at the national level, however, remains a priority. As countries now take these targets and integrate them into their national health plans, the Taskforce believes that the CVD community will play a key role in ensuring that progress is measurable.
Aligning efforts under the “25 by 25” target, the Taskforce has set commitments for themselves and asks the CVD community to join them in coordinating and shaping strong national plans that will address the leading risk factors of raised blood pressure, tobacco use, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating, and improve secondary prevention and rehabilitation of CVD.
The CVD Taskforce paper is released ahead of World Heart Day on September 29, when supporters worldwide will be taking part in activities to address one of the main risk factors of physical inactivity, and to support the World Heart Federation’s global target of reducing CVD deaths 25 percent by 2025.
“These targets are hard fought triumphs for us, not only in the CVD community, but in the health community,” states Taskforce member and Writing Group Chair, Professor Sidney C. Smith, Jr. “We need to ensure, however, that they are actualized. Strong advocacy and global action has ensured that a global architecture is now in place to make governments accountable on their progress in regards to NCDs. Moving from the political to the practical requires that NCDs are recognized as a development priority as the world reassess the Millennium Development Goals, and that governments actively move towards national health and economic plans that address and incorporate the NCD targets and indicators.”
As about 80 per cent of NCD deaths are in low- and middle-income countries ,where human and financial resources are most limited to address them, has ensured global attention. Work at the national level, however, remains a priority. As countries now take these targets and integrate them into their national health plans, the Taskforce believes that the CVD community will play a key role in ensuring that progress is measurable.
Aligning efforts under the “25 by 25” target, the Taskforce has set commitments for themselves and asks the CVD community to join them in coordinating and shaping strong national plans that will address the leading risk factors of raised blood pressure, tobacco use, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating, and improve secondary prevention and rehabilitation of CVD.
The CVD Taskforce paper is released ahead of World Heart Day on September 29, when supporters worldwide will be taking part in activities to address one of the main risk factors of physical inactivity, and to support the World Heart Federation’s global target of reducing CVD deaths 25 percent by 2025.
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