NordAN Conference World Health Organization and The Nordic Council of Ministers

1
NordAN ConferenceWorld Health Organization and
The Nordic Council of Ministers

• Marianne Kristensen
• International Adviser
• National Board of Health, Denmark

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The process prior to the World Health Assembly
2008

• 1979 - World Health Assembly Resolution on
  development of the WHO programme on
  alcohol-related problems (32.40)
• 1983 - World Health Assembly Resolution on
  alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems
  development of national policies and programmes
  (36.12)
• 1989 - World Health Assembly Resolution on
  prevention and control of drug and alcohol abuse
  (42.20)
• ------

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The process prior to the World Health Assembly
2008

• In the meantime in WHO/EURO..
• 1992 - Region-wide action plan on alcohol
  (1992-1999)
• 1995 - European Charter on Alcohol (Paris
  Charter)
• 2000 - Updated region-wide action plan on alcohol
  (2000-2005)
• 2001 - Declaration on Young People and Alcohol
• 2005 - Framework for alcohol policy in the WHO
  European Region. Follow-up High level forum on
  alcohol to be arranged every third year

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Life Expectancy (OECD 2005)
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Alcohol consumption per year
Norway
Sweden
Poland
Italy
Finland
Holland
Greece
Belgium
Great Britain
Portugal
Denmark
France
Spain
Austria
Germany
National Institute of Public Health The
National health report 2007
Liters of pure alkohol pr. capita
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The process prior to the World Health Assembly
2008

• MILESTONE
• 2005 World Health Assembly Resolution on public
  health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol
  (58.26)
• Requested the Director General
• to collaborate with Member States,
  intergovernmental organizations, health
  professionals, nongovernmental organizations and
  other relevant stakeholders to promote the
  implementation of effective policies and
  programmes to reduce harmful alcohol consumption
• to organize open consultations with
  representatives of industry and agriculture and
  trade sectors of alcoholic beverages in order to
  limit the health impact of harmful alcohol
  consumption
• To report..to the Sixtieth World Health
  Assembly on progress made in implementation of
  this resolution (i.e.2007)

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World Health Assembly 2008

• Finally.
• Resolution on strategies to reduce the harmful
  use of alcohol (R 61.4)
• Requests the Director General
• (1) to prepare a draft global strategy to reduce
  harmful use of alcohol that is based on all
  available evidence and existing best practices
  and that addresses relevant policy options,
  taking into account different national, religious
  and cultural contexts, including national public
  health problems, needs and priorities, and
  differences in Member States resources,
  capacities and capabilities
• (2) to ensure that the draft global strategy
  will include a set of proposed measures
  recommended for States to implement at the
  national level, taking into account the national
  circumstances of each country

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World Health Assembly 2008

• Resolution on strategies to reduce the harmful
  use of alcohol (R 61.4)
• Requests the Director General
• (CONT.)
• (3) to include full details of ongoing and
  emerging regional, subregional and national
  processes as vital contributions to a global
  strategy
• (4) to collaborate and consult with Member
  States, as well as consult with intergovernmental
  organizations, health professionals,
  nongovernmental organizations and economic
  operators on ways they could contribute to
  reducing harmful use of alcohol
• (5) to submit to the Sixty-third World Health
  Assembly, through the Executive Board, a draft
  global strategy to reduce harmful use of
  alcohol.

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The role of governments till World Health
Assembly 2010

• What happens now?
• October 2008 Public hearing on views on
  effective strategies to reduce the burden
  resulting from the harmful use of alcohol .We
  are particularly interested in getting views on
  integrated approaches that can protect risk
  populations, young people and those affected by
  harmful drinking by others.
• 6 November 2008 Round table meeting with
  economic operators from the alcohol industry
• 24-25 November 2008 Round table meeting with
  NGOs and health professionals
• January April 2009 Regional technical
  consultations with Member States

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The role of governments till World Health
Assembly 2010

• 2009 - January 2010 A wide range of meetings,
  consultations etc. between Member States, NGOs
  Intergovernmental Organizations etc.
• January 2010 The Executive Board of the World
  Health Assembly will discuss the draft strategy
  on harmful use of alcohol
• May 2010 World Health Assembly will discuss the
  draft strategy and adopt a resolution on the
  strategy
• From May 2010 - Implementation of the strategy

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The role of governments till World Health
Assembly 2010

• The track of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD)
• Idea
• 1)Risk factors as tobacco, harmful use of
  alcohol, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet
  should be dealt with in a common context under
  the same umbrella
• 2) A horizontal, overarching approach is
  imperative to tackle the entire complex of Non
  Communicable Diseases

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The role of governments till World Health
Assembly 2010

• Noncommunicable Diseases in a WHO context
• 2000 Global Strategy on prevention and control
  of noncommunicable diseases (NCD)
• May 2006 Denmark announces prevention and
  control of NCD to be its overall priority during
  the Executive Board membership 2006-2009
• September 2006 WHO European region adopts a
  strategy for the Prevention and Control of NCD
• May 2008 World Health Assembly adopts an action
  plan for the implementation of the NCD strategy
• May 2008 follow-up and implementation process

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The role of governments till World Health
Assembly 2010

• The track of the Commission on Social
  Determinants of health
• August 2008 Report from the Commission Closing
  the gap in a generation health equity through
  action on social determinants of health
• November 2008 London Conference highlighting the
  key issues of the report - inequity in health
• January 2009 Key item on the agenda of The WHO
  Executive Board

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Reflexions

• Your contribution to the various processes of WHO
  can be very fruitful
• You have the opportunity NOW (hearing process on
  alcohol strategy)
• In a longer perspective Countinuous contacts
  with governmental representatives

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The Nordic Council of Ministers

• August 2004 The Prime Ministers of the five
  Nordic Countries decided to create a common
  initiative on alcohol policy targeting the
  European Union and the WHO
• October 2004 The Ministers for Health of the
  five Nordic Countries agreed on a Declaration on
  alcohol policy
• June 2008 The Nordic Ministers for Health
  decided to establish a common initiative on
  alcohol policy with a special focus on the
  European Union and WHO

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The Nordic Council of Ministers

• October 2008 The Committee of Civil Servants on
  Social and Health Policy approved the mandate for
  a new working group, forming the a common
  platform on alcohol policy in particuar targeting
  the European Union and the WHO

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Reflexions

• You have different platforms/choices nationally,
  regionally, intergovernmentally and
  internationally to decide, which are the most
  the most adequate arenas in order to obtain the
  optimal impact on alcohol policy internationally?