UN Convenes First-ever High-level Meeting on Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control

Global leaders will meet at the UN in New York from 19-20 September 2011 to set a new international agenda to tackle Noncommunicable Diseases. Noncommunicable diseases (or NCDs) like heart attack and stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease kill 36 million people each year.

Once thought of as a rich country's problem, noncommunicable diseases now take an increasing global toll: four out of every five deaths occur in a low or middle income country. Many of those deaths are among people under 60, triggering serious social and economic consequences.

What: United Nations High-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases prevention and control  

Noncommunicable diseases (or NCDs) like heart attack and stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease kill 36 million people each year. Once thought of as a rich country's problem, noncommunicable diseases now take an increasing global toll: four out of every five deaths occur in a low or middle income country. Many of those deaths are among people under 60, triggering serious social and economic consequences. Global leaders will therefore meet at the United Nations in New York from 19-20 September 2011 to set a new international agenda to tackle NCDs in the future.  

When: 19-20 September 2011, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. New York time  

Where: United Nations Headquarters, 1st Avenue & 46th Street, New York

Who: The President of the General Assembly of the UN, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon; WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan and approximately 35 Heads of State and Government, over 50 Health and Foreign Ministers and other delegates representing over 110 Member States, will join senior officials, representatives of international organizations and civil society

  Summary of Events

  Plenary Sessions, UN General Assembly Hall, 19 - 20 September  

Monday, 19 September, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. They will be chaired by the President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser . The morning meeting will feature opening statements (9 to 10 a.m.) from the President of the General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, HRH Princess Dina Mired from Jordan and a representative of civil society.  

Tuesday, 20 September, 10:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Presentation of summaries of the round tables and the adoption of the outcome document. Mayor of New York Michael R. Bloomberg has been invited to address the closing Plenary.  

Round Tables

A concept note for each round table, and accompanying discussion papers, will be made available at:http://www.who.int/ncd

Monday, 19 September 
"The rising incidence, developmental and other challenges and the social and economic impact of NCDs and their risk factors" (Round table 1) 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., ECOSOC Chamber  "Strengthening national capacities, as well as appropriate policies, to address prevention and control of NCDs" (Round table 2) 3 to 6 p.m., ECOSOC Chamber  

Tuesday, 20 September 
"Fostering international cooperation, as well as coordination, to address NCDs" (Round table 3) 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., ECOSOC Chamber  

Side Events Co-sponsored by PAHO
 Media Access to side events at the UN:

Accredited media persons must first go to Conference Room 1 in the North Lawn Building, which serves as the media center, from where they will be escorted to the side event venue.  

Sunday, 18 September 
"Physical activity & sports in the fight against NCDs" 
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., UN Millennium Plaza Hotel, One United Nations Plaza, 44th street between 1st and 2nd avenues  

Sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and PAHO/WHO  

Monday, 19 September 
"CARICOM Takes Stock"
 1 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Concierge Conference Center, 780 3rd Ave. at 49th  

Sponsored by CARICOM, PAHO/WHO, and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition  

Tuesday, 20 September
"Gender Responsive Approaches to Non-Communicable Diseases" 
8:15 to 9:45 a.m., United Nations Conference Rm. 7, 405 E 42nd St.

  Sponsored by PAHO/GDR, the NCD Alliance, and the Commonwealth Secretariat

  "The Beginning of the End of NCDs in the Americas" - Launch of the Americas Partners Forum 
6:15 to 8:30 p.m., Grand Hyatt Hotel - Empire Room, 109 East 42nd Street at Grand Central Terminal

Sponsored by PAHO/WHO, GRULAC, USA,CAN, and the World Economic Forum  

Information on other side events

Links:  