On 29 August 2023, at the UN Compound in Bangkok, a pivotal meeting was held to sustain the high-level commitment of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the United Nations (UN) and partners in scaling up Thailand’s response to the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) epidemic. This date is historically important as it marks exactly five years from the 2018 United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs (UNIATF) mission to Thailand.
Following the success of the first UN Thematic Working Group (UN TWG) from 2019-2021, this 2nd phase of the UN TWG (2023-2027) is expected to be a key multi-sectoral platform for coordinating the implementation of the UNIATF recommendations and broadly the NCDs strategy and action plan towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and other health-related targets.
The meeting was co-chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Gita Sabharwal and the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Permanent Secretary, Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, and participated by more than 30 partners from MoPH, representatives of non-health ministries and Office of the Prime Minister, UN Heads of agencies and/or their representatives, Thai Health, Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives and senior advisors/experts.
From left to right: Dr. Sarawut Boonsuk, Ms. Gita Sabharwal, Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, Dr. Direk Khampaen, and Dr. Jos Vandelaer during a meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases in Thailand © MoPH
In her welcome speech, Ms. Gita Sabharwal underscored the UN TWG as a unique mechanism and best practice that allows for the alignment of interests and priorities of key stakeholders in addressing different aspects of prevention and control of NCDs and mental health”. Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, emphasized that “there are various challenges that need multi sectors to collaborate together so as to fight NCDs in an effective manner.”
Dr Krisada Hanbunjerd, Director of the Division of NCDs at the Department of Disease Control, MoPH, provided an overview of the progress and next steps in fully implementing the unfinished agenda under the UNIATF recommendations and key priorities for 2023-2024.
UN TWG opening session and thematic discussion on obesity and possible way forward in Thailand © MoPH
The kick-off meeting also tackled obesity as its first thematic topic, with Dr Jos Vandelaer, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Thailand, as chair of the session on “Obesity in Thailand and way forward’.
Dr. Sarawut Boonsuk, Deputy Director General, Department of Health, MoPH, presented the current situation in Thailand, policies and measures, priority actions as well as possible areas of UN support. He highlighted the importance of making obesity a national agenda and to support the enactment of the “Marketing Restriction of Food and Beverages Affecting Children's Health Act.”
In line with this priority agenda, Dr. Direk Khampaen, Deputy Director General, Department of Disease Control, MOPH shared some of the best practices and learnings on NCDs prevention and control, with focus on obesity from the recent exchange visit in Singapore, supported by WHO. He highlighted key strategies on healthy eating and physical activities as crucial elements in addressing the growing public health problem of obesity. He also emphasized the important role of digital technology and seamless linkage across Information Technology applications in effective health promotion and prevention programmes across the life course.
Stakeholders gather for a collaborative discussion on addressing Non-Communicable Diseases in Thailand © MoPH
Following a series of insightful presentations, participants engaged in a dynamic dialogue with UN agencies, exploring entry points for collaboration. Before the meeting ends, Dr Olivia Nieveras, Medical Officer for NCDs at WHO, briefly presented the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the UN TWG for final consultation. The group agreed to endorse the TOR with additional members.
The meeting was concluded by Dr Jos Vandelaer, he stressed the importance of continued collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and commitment to achieving the shared goal of NCDs prevention and control. He remarked, “In today's meeting, we are united in our commitment to combat NCDs and further advance health and well-being in Thailand.”