New York, US - The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the adoption Monday by the UN General Assembly of the political declaration on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, chronic respiratory disease and cancer which together kill some 36 million people each year.

In a press statement, received by PANA, the WHO said 'For the first time, global leaders have reached consensus in the General Assembly on concrete actions to tackle these diseases.

'Governments agreed on the need for global targets to monitor these diseases and their risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol.'

In adopting the declaration, the UN General Assembly asked the WHO to develop a framework for monitoring global progress and to prepare, before the end of 2012, recommendations for a set of global targets to monitor trends and assess the progress in countries to reduce the toll of suffering, disability and premature death due to these diseases.

It said global leaders committed to greater efforts to prevent and treat NCDs and improve health care, including better access to vital medicines.

It noted that the success of the declaration would depend on the engagement of non-health sectors such as finance, agriculture, transportation, urban development and trade, adding that governments should  integrate policies to reduce NCDs into health planning processes and national development agendas.

The declaration is a clear signal that global leaders acknowledge the devastating impact of NCDs worldwide and that they are committed to reducing it, the WHO said, adding that 'The next step is to act on those commitments.'

Pana 21/09/2011