The World Health Organization has expanded the list of “NCD best buys”. The updated list was approved at the 76th World Health Assembly, a decision that will help governments select life-saving interventions and policies for the world’s deadliest non-communicable diseases. This gives countries of all income levels support to improve the health of their citizens.
Proposed interventions include taxes and bans on tobacco and alcohol advertising, reformulating policies for healthier foods and beverages, and promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices.
The new list also includes secondary prevention of rheumatic fever, acute and long-term management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as several cancer control interventions related to cervical cancer, breast, colorectal, liver and childhood, and comprehensive cancer treatment. for people living with HIV.
The Best Buys Update comes with a comprehensive menu of policy options and cost-effective interventions that will help governments prioritize investments based on their specific country context. Investing in evidence-based policies is an investment in a healthy future.
Doctor Bente Mikkelsen. Director of the Department of NCDs, World Health Organization
The latest revision has been updated to reflect WHO recommendations and guidance and the latest scientific evidence on impact. The report is part of the Global NCD Action Plan 2023-2030 and is a 2017 update and is at the heart of the NCD Implementation Roadmap. Each revision is based on new WHO normative and normative products, new evidence and data to expand and update interventions.
The updated list continues to argue that preventing and controlling NCDs is a remarkable boon that can save millions of lives and add millions of healthy life years.
These interventions can help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one-third through prevention and treatment and the promotion of mental health and well-being in the world by 2030.
They also provide an opportunity to accelerate national action for the prevention and control of NCDs to reduce suffering and prevent deaths and pave the way for political commitment at the fourth high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs in 2025.
The World Health Assembly resolution requires that the list of interventions be continually updated, as data become available.
Note to Editor:
Extended NCD Best Buys List
the tobacco
Increase excise taxes and prices on tobacco products Implement large graphic health warnings on all tobacco packages, along with plain/standardized packaging Enact and enforce comprehensive bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship smokingEliminate exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in all indoor workplaces, public places, transportationImplement effective media campaigns that educate the public about the harms of smoking/tobacco use and second-hand smoke , and encourage smoking cessation behavior change for all smokers
Alcohol
Increase excise taxes on alcoholic beverages Enact and enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on exposure to alcohol advertising (across multiple types of media) Enact and enforce restrictions on the physical availability of alcohol in retail (via reduced sales hours)
Bad eating habits
Reformulation policies for healthier foods and beverages (e.g. elimination of trans fatty acids and/or reduction of saturated fat, free sugars and/or sodium) Front-of-package labeling as part of policies comprehensive nutrition labeling policies to make it easier to understand and choose foods for healthy dietsPublic food supply and service policies for healthy diets (e.g. reducing consumption of free sugars, sodium, unhealthy fats and increasing consumption of legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables) Behavior change communication and mass media campaign for healthy eating (e.g. to reduce intake of energy, free sugars, sodium, fats foods and to increase consumption of legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables)Policies to protect children from the harmful effects of food marketing on foodProtection, promotion and support of optimal breastfeeding practices
Physical inactivity
Implement sustained, population-wide communication campaigns on best practices to promote physical activity, with links to community programs and environmental improvements to enable and support behavior change
Cardiovascular illnesses
Secondary prevention of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease by developing a registry of patients who regularly receive prophylactic penicillin
Chronic respiratory diseases
Acute treatment of asthma exacerbations with inhaled bronchodilators and oral steroids Acute treatment of COPD exacerbations with inhaled bronchodilators and oral steroids Long-term management of COPD with an inhaled bronchodilator
Cancer
Human papillomavirus vaccination (1-2 doses) of girls 9-14 years triage and treatment approach) Cervical cancer: early diagnosis programs linked to rapid diagnostic work-up and comprehensive cancer treatment Breast cancer: early diagnosis programs linked to rapid diagnostic work-up and comprehensive cancer treatment Colorectal cancer: early diagnosis programs linked to rapid diagnostic work-up and comprehensive cancer treatmentPrevention of liver cancer through vaccination against hepatitis B HIV
