The NGO Committee on Mental Health and the
NGO Health Committee, of which SI is a member, collaborated to present a symposium on the global challenges of chronic disease on September 8, 2011. The symposium was timed to precede the UN High-Level Meeting on
"Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control" entitled:  "Mental Health and the Scope of Non-Communicable
Diseases". This meeting takes place today and tomorrow in New York (September 19-20).

The speakers represented a range of expertise and organisations:

1. The World Health Organisation: Introductory Remarks
2. Mount Sinai School of
   Medicine : Chronic Disease – Personal and Mental Health Treatment &
   Prevention
3. New York University College
   of Nursing: Cardiovascular Prevention, a Global Mandate
4. New York University College
   of Nursing: Global Burden of Diabetes
5. Taub Institute for Research at Columbia University: Alzheimer’s Disease andDementia – Physical and Psychological
   Considerations         

All spoke of the interaction between chronic
disease and mental health, particularly depression. In
many cases, lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, non-smoking and reduced alcohol intake could have a significant impact in reducing the incidence of chronic disease. The promotion of such lifestyle choices as part of a holistic health care system should be pursued.

With the life expectancy of the world
population increasing, treatment and prevention of non-communicable diseases
are global issues. It is not only a personal challenge, but also a concern
of the state –  with the high cost of
medication (whether purchased privately or through a state subsidised health
care system), lost economic productivity due to time off work (care givers or patients), and the burden
of longer life impacting on pension plans and other related welfare provisions, it becomes a national challenge both in terms of economic policy and social policy. Countries will struggle to meet
these needs unless health care systems are altered to deal effectively with the challenges posed by increased demand and changes in services required. This will be a particular issue in countries where health care systems are already limited, or stretched to capacity.

In addition, one of the presenters
emphasised again and again the importance of medical schools including courses on the
relationship between physical and mental health, particularly depression.

Information on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Action
Plan for Global Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs),
and efforts to ensure its implementation, can be accessed here and here.

To find out more about the statement SI signed on this topic, click here to access the news article (14/9/11).

A new ‘Where We Stand’ statement on Non-Communicable Diseases is coming soon!