Aim to cut premature deaths by 25 per cent

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman is taking several initiatives and services which have been developed at a governmental level in the country, including a multi-sectoral plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, which aims to reduce premature deaths related to non-communicable diseases by 25 per cent by 2025, in addition to the development of national monitoring framework for prevention, and the NCDs surveillance and control.

This was stated by Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, while participating virtually in the International Strategic Dialogue Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), on Tuesday in Ghana.

A high-level delegation took part in the meeting including Prime Minister of Norway, the Director-General of World Health Organization, in addition to 194 Heads of State and governments of WHO member states.

“We are now in the process of establishing multi-sectoral strategies focusing on the major risk factors of non-communicable diseases in women, men and children”, Dr Al Saeedi added.

The event served as a great opportunity for heads of state and various governments to discuss their strategic leadership role in the prevention and control of NCDs, as well as establishing an international group focused on Prevention and Control of NCDs (NCD Presidential Group).

The dialogue raised the profile of the NCD agenda within the SDGs in Ghana, internationally, and bring together national and international actors and partners to exchange knowledge and ideas with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, the academic and business world, and international development experts. The academic and business world, and international development experts on what would it take globally for low- and middle-income countries to achieve SDG 3 on health.

Moreover, the event also highlighted political visibility of heads of state and governments who are providing a strategic leadership role in the prevention and control of NCDs on a global level.

Notably, in September 2020, the United Nations General Assembly called upon member states to further strengthen efforts to address NCDs as part of universal health coverage (UHC), recognising that people living with NCDs are at a higher risk of developing severe Covid-19 symptoms and are among the most impacted by the pandemic.

NCDs remain the largest, most internationally underfunded public health issue globally, where most lives could be saved or improved. Hence, addressing NCDs must be an integral part of the immediate response to Covid-19 and of the recovery at national levels, as well as part of the strategies to build back better.