The Independent Global High-Level Commission on Non-communicable Diseases met March 2nd online to discuss it’s agenda, which mainly includes the fight against NCDs. The Commission will meet again March 26th and will publish a draft on the progress made April 1st.

Members emphasized the need for governments to make commitments in the fight against NCDs, mental health care and the promotion of the well-being of the population. Thus, WHO seeks to comply with one of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which is to reduce by one third the rate of premature mortality from NCD, through prevention and treatment.

In addition, the commissioners emphasized that the Third United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs, which will take place in the second semester of 2018 (to be confirmed exact date), is the perfect opportunity for governments to discuss and agree on new ways of tackling those diseases.

The main mission of the Commission, formally established last month by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is to write a report that will be published in June 2018. The document will contain different options of financing, analysis and public policy recommendations against NCDs for the countries member of the organization. Also, advances in technology for the prevention and control of these diseases will be detailed.

Among the 25 members are the Latin Americans Tabaré Vázquez, President of Uruguay and co-chairman of the Commission; Adolfo Rubinstein, Minister of Health of Argentina; Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile; and José Narro Nobles, Minister of Health of Mexico.