Background
The World Health Organization, the Pan American
Health Organization and the Government of Barbados are co-hosting a High-level
technical meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health in
recognition of the high burden of NCDs and the impact of climate and COVID-19
on health and economies in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The meeting
will serve as a follow up to the virtual WHO SIDS Summit for Health held in
July 2021 and will be a precursor to the SIDS ministerial conference on NCDs
and mental health due to be held in June 2023.
The SIDS High-level technical meeting will be
webcast for virtual participants and will look to engage heads of state and
government, ministers of health from the WHO SIDS Member States, as well as
technical experts from key regional and subregional bodies; partner governments
and agencies; civil society; youth; public–private partnerships and academia.
Purpose
To build political momentum for the SIDS ministerial
conference on NCDs and mental health to be held in June 2023 and to promote
increased domestic action and international cooperation on NCDs and mental
health in SIDS.
Objectives
- To discuss progress, challenges, and opportunities to scale up multisectoral actions on NCDs and mental health to promote well-being, as part of the commitments made under the SIDS Health Summit 2021 and the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
- To present and discuss the WHO NCD Implementation Road Map 2023–2030 and its application in SIDS countries, while considering priorities such as the impact of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, to accelerate national responses towards SDG target 3.4 on NCDs and mental health.
- To share experiences from SIDS countries on multisectoral and multistakeholder strategies, especially on NCDs and mental health as they relate to climate change, health emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity prevention and food systems, among others; and to present the feasibility of adapting and applying these experiences in other countries.
- To discuss and identify key recommendations to be included in the outcome document to be endorsed/adopted by the subsequent SIDS ministerial meeting to scale up action on NCDs and mental health.
Expected outcome
A meeting report with key recommendations,
to serve as the zero draft for the negotiated outcome document of the WHO
SIDS ministerial conference on NCDs and mental health in June 2023 which
will again take place in Barbados.
Date: 17–18 January 2023
Time: 09:00–17:30 Atlantic time (GMT -4)
Language: The working language of the meeting will be English, and interpretation will be provided in French and Spanish.
WHO SIDS ministerial conference on NCDs and mental health
(14–15 June 2023)
The proceedings of the WHO SIDS technical meeting on NCDs and mental health will provide the input to the SIDS ministerial conference on the prevention and control of NCDs and mental health, co-hosted by the Government of Barbados on 14–15 June 2023 in a hybrid modality (virtual and in-person in Bridgetown, Barbados). The Conference will set out an ambitious agenda to transform the capability of SIDS countries to proactively respond and effectively deliver health outcomes in relation to NCDs and mental health, and so become a vital partner for reaching SDG target 3.4. The outcome document of the Conference in 2023 will serve as an input into the preparatory process leading to the fourth High-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on NCDs in 2025 and to future global summits on mental health.
The ministerial conference in June 2023 will be organized in response to paragraph 75(e) of resolution A/RES/69/15 (SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action [SAMOA] Pathway), which includes a commitment to “enable cooperation among Small Island Developing States on diseases by using existing international and regional forums to convene joint biennial meetings of ministers of health and other relevant sectors to respond in particular to NCDs”.
High-level Policy Expert Group formed to advise the SIDS high-level meetings on NCD and mental health
A High-level Policy Expert Group (HLPEG) was formed to provide strategic expert guidance to the SIDS high-level technical meeting and ministerial conference on NCD and mental health. The Group will have a special focus on channelling inputs into the preparatory process to the 4th UN High-level meeting on NCDs in 2025 based on the proceedings of the SIDS meetings.
The High-level Policy Expert Group will:
- Provide advice to WHO and the High-level Steering Committee in relation to NCD and mental health in SIDS and preparation of the SIDS meeting.
- Review the inputs and recommendations of the Programme Committee and related subcommittees and provide independent strategic expert guidance to the technical meeting and ministerial conference.
- Provide advice with a specific focus on how the meetings and their outputs can inform the path towards the 4th UN High-level meeting on NCDs.
- Provide strategic advice on political advocacy for NCD and mental health in SIDS.
The High-level Policy Expert Group is co-chaired by Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus of the Pan American Health Organization and Sir Colin Tukuitonga, Director-General of the Pacific Community, with support from a secretariat led by WHO. Nominated members of the Group comprise eminent regional and global leaders in public health representing the unique perspectives of SIDS Member States.