Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases – represent the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Region of the Americas. Their growing burden poses significant challenges for health systems, especially in contexts of inequity and limited access to quality services.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has developed various strategies to address this problem, including the "Better Care for NCDs" initiative, which promotes a comprehensive approach from Primary Health Care (PHC). These actions are aligned with the commitments made by Member States at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high-level meetings on NCDs, and seek to accelerate progress towards more resilient, equitable, and people-centered health systems.
This webinar is the first in a series organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to promote the exchange of experiences and good practices in the prevention, comprehensive management, and surveillance of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Region of the Americas.
In this first session, focused on the prevention of NCDs, some of the Good Practices selected and validated by PAHO at the regional level, available on the Portal of Good Practices in Public Health, were presented. These initiatives, implemented in different countries, have proven effective in tobacco control, promoting healthy eating, encouraging physical activity, and reducing harmful alcohol consumption through the application of cost-effective interventions (Best Buys) and the promotion of multisectoral action strategies.
- To make visible and recognize good practices that contribute to reducing the main risk factors for NCDs, through cost-effective, sustainable and adaptable interventions to the local context.
- Promote the adoption of evidence-based policies for the reduction of NCD risk factors, which articulate public health interventions with public policies from other sectors for the prevention of NCDs.
- Promote the use of the Good Practices in Public Health Portal as a tool for peer-to-peer learning, technical cooperation, and informed decision-making in the design and implementation of public health interventions.
- Opening remarks.
- Good Practices Initiative and Launch of Results of Good Practices in NCDs: prevention, control and surveillance of NCDs.
- Argentina: Telemedicine for smoking cessation in primary care.
- Chile: Active School Transport: healthy, safe and sustainable mobility for students.
- Colombia: Healthy lifestyles and primary care to control NCDs in Cauca.
- Guatemala: Strategy "Active, Healthy, Peaceful and Happy Cities".
- Mexico: Prevention of alcohol consumption in adolescents with the app "What happens if you go too far?"
- Questions and answers from participants.
- Conclusions.
- Anselm Hennis, Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, PAHO.
- Sebastián Garcia Saiso or Eliane Pereira Dos Santos, Portal of Good Practices in Public Health, PAHO.
- Dr. Ariela Tarcic, referent of the Provincial Smoking Cessation Program.
- Dr. Matías Portela, Ministry of Health of Chile.
- Dr. Carolina Camargo Restrepo, Cauca Departmental Health Secretariat.
- Juan Diego Blas, CONADER, Ministry of Culture and Sports.
- Dr. Patricia Fuentes, Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz National Institute of Psychiatry.
- Vanesa García-Larsen, Chief of the Risk Factors and Healthy Eating Unit, PAHO.