HONOURABLE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH;
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS FROM MEMBER STATES;
ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
I am very pleased to be here to open this important workshop for capacity-building on NCD prevention and control.
In 2009 — during my first year as Regional Director for the Western Pacific — I participated in this programme. It has proven to be a valuable learning platform for countries in the Region.
We all know the disturbing figures.
Noncommunicable diseases cause eight out of 10 deaths in our Region.
Even more troubling is that many of those deaths are premature and preventable. This means many people suffer unnecessarily.
We know how to fight noncommunicable diseases.
In fact, we have already made important progress in NCD prevention and control.
The Western Pacific Regional Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (2014-2020) was endorsed by the Regional Committee in October.
The action plan lays out a menu of policy options and very cost-effective interventions for Member States.
Capacity-strengthening is needed to enable low- and middle-income countries to fully implement the regional action plan.
Workshops like this one are critical in that regard.
The results of WHO’s NCD country capacity survey this year show that 31 countries in the Region have a national NCD plan. However, only 28 countries have allocated funds for NCD capacity-building.
We have been working with the National Institute of Public Health in Saitama, Japan, since 2005 for NCD capacity-building.
We appreciate the sustained support of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan for this important programme. Saitama has become synonymous with NCD capacity building.
The programme has a history of providing high-quality training in NCD prevention and control for ministries of health and national institutes throughout the Region.
From 2005 to 2012, some 138 participants from 21 countries and areas have benefited from the programme.
Past participants have returned to their home countries to make substantial progress in NCD prevention and control in their countries.
This year’s programme focuses on leadership and advocacy for NCD prevention and control, or LeAd NCD.
I ask the participants from the 10 countries here this year to work with us to develop this as a national capacity-building programme through your respective national public health institutions.
My hope is that the LeAd-NCD course will become a brand for the Region in NCD prevention and control.
We will continue to work with the National Institute of Public Health in Saitama and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Government of Japan for NCD capacity-building.
Japan provides a powerful example in the field of NCD prevention and control. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the Health Japan 21 initiative and visit a clinic to observe NCD management at the primary care level.
We look forward to continued partnership with all of you to strengthen capacity-building at the national level.
WHO is more committed than ever to work with Member States — to address each country’s particular challenges with strong actions to prevent and control NCDs.
I wish you a successful and productive workshop and look forward to reviewing the outcomes.
Thank you.