Press Release

WHAT ROLE CAN THE UK PLAY IN GLOBAL HEALTH?

21 April 2008

A one-day conference at the Royal College of Physicians on Tuesday 29 April will examine the role the UK has to play in global health.  Coming after the publication in 2007 of Lord Crisp's 'Global Health Partnerships' and Sir Liam Donaldson's 'Health is global:  Proposals for a government-wide strategy', the conference will discuss their impact and the latest Government initiatives.  Drawing together experts from the clinical and policy worlds, it will include updates on communicable and chronic diseases.  A full programme is available on the RCP website:
http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/event/doc/evt1012.doc

Journalists are very welcome to attend the conference, if you would like to book a free place, please contact RCP PR Manager Linda Cuthbertson on 020 7935 1174.  Several speakers have kindly sent abstracts of their presentations, detailed below, and we expect more to arrive over the next week. 

Global Health, the changing context: epidemiology and public health challenges Roy M Anderson, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London (Keynote talk at 9.35 am)

The presentation will cover three areas of current importance to the changing context of Global Health priorities. The first part will examine the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and current plans to improve access to treatments for those in developing countries - with a particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. A brief over view of the treatment of the intestinal infections will be illustrated by current treatment coverage of school aged children achieved by a global alliance of interested NGOs with support from many different agencies including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The second part will address the global pandemic of AIDS in Africa and progress with antiretroviral treatment. Particular attention will be given to patient adherence to recommended treatment protocols in both developed and developing countries. The final part of the presentation will address current plans to tackle a global influenza A pandemic with particular attention on interventions other than drugs and vaccines. Parallels will be drawn between the key issues in each of these three areas.

Responding to global health challenges; the global epidemic of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease Shanthi Mendis, Senior Adviser Cardiovascular Diseases, World Health Organization (Speaking at 11.30 am)

Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease and diabetes are  major causes of death already, in most countries of the world regardless of income status.  Cardiovascular disease alone accounted for 17 million deaths in 2005.  The World Health Organization
(WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes and at least 400 billion are obese.The trends of the NCD burden is projected to rise over the next decade particularly in low and middle income countries.

There is also a large public health burden that is hidden among more than 2 billion people who are at increased risk of NCDs because of obesity due to an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity, or tobacco use or raised blood pressure,  blood lipids or blood sugar.  To help them adopt a healthy life style  a supportive legislative,
regulatory and policy environment need to be created.   In this context
the leadership of the Ministries of Health is key to making health an issue for the 'whole of government  ' and facilitating intersectoral collaboration between ministries of Finance, Trade, Urban Planning, Education, Transport, Food and Agriculture. Partnership with the private and voluntary sectors is also necessary to create a conducive environment that promote healthy life styles. In low and middle income countries where the NCD burden is rapidly growing, the investment in health is often inadequate. Explicit efforts are therefore  required  to match the services with available resources to safeguard social justice and equity. Most aspects of cardiovascular disease and diabetes can be effectively and equitably managed in primary care if there is a health information system, a sound referral service and a workforce trained in evidence based practice. Investing more on high technology interventions cannot control the NCD epidemic Universal coverage and access to basic NCD care based on need are essential.  Further, NCD services have to shift to community and patient centered paradigms of care to harness the potential contribution of patients, families and communities.

Despite these complex challenges that the NCD burden pose, there is potential for prevention and control. The World Health Organization has provided public health instruments to facilitate action,  including the Global Strategy for prevention and control of NCDs and the  Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. They have been endorsed by the World Health Assembly.  In addition, global connectivity through the internet, lessons learned from successful control of  cardiovascular disease in some high income countries, a growing spirit of global solidarity and a desire for social justice offer opportunities and hope for concerted action.

Improving health systems: a plan of action for practical collaboration at every level.
Carolyn Miller, Chief Executive, Merlin (Speaking at 4.30 pm)

Carolyn will focus on the need to prioritise the practical implementation of UK and global health strategies at country level.
Fragile states present specific challenges and these are often overlooked in international initiatives. A large number of actors:
NGO's, local organisations and the private sector all play a significant role in the delivery and support of health services.  However, there are often no practical plans to underpin overall health strategies. Greater coordination and improved funding mechanisms are key. Carolyn will outline the importance of all actors working together, led by the Ministry of Health, highlighting the challenges and presenting some possible solutions.
                         
Health Links between UK and Developing Countries Dr Andrew Purkis (Tropical Health and Education Trust) and Dr Douglas Lungu (Links Co-ordinator, Malawi) (Speaking at 4.45 pm)

Health Links are long term partnerships between UK health institutions and counterparts in the developing world, to build capacity and fight disease and neglect. Lord Crisp championed these Links in his report on Global Health Partnerships for the Prime Minister published in February 2007. He thought they were of great potential for helping to strengthen the health systems of developing countries, and also for inspiring and developing the UK participants from the NHS and other institutions. Dr Purkis will analyse the Government's recent response to the Crisp Report and outline the resulting, enhanced opportunities for developing the contribution of Health Links in the period ahead. Dr Lungu will emphasise that enthusiasm from the UK end is excellent but not enough:
Links must remain true to the principle of responding to priorities expressed by the developing country, on the developing country's terms.
     

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