On December 1st, the Healthy Caribbean Coaliiton (HCC) co-hosted The 2023 Conference on the Harmful Use of Alcohol in the English-Speaking Caribbean alongside its partners, The UWI Faculty of Medical Sciences, St. Augustine and the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN). The Conference was held at the UWI St. Augustine Campus, and live-streamed via the Zoom platform in recognition of the 8th Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day (CARD).

This hybrid conference event was conceptualized by HCC Alcohol Policy Advisor, Professor Rohan Maharaj, and featured presentations from regional academics and public health experts, working in the field of alcohol research and policy. Seventeen (17) presentations were delivered, covering a wide range of topics including the impact of alcohol on public health, regional policy interventions, and the latest research findings. Lay summaries from those presentations can be found here: (click on the images below to enlarge)

The HCC and partners, with the support of PAHO, have hosted annual CARD events over the last seven years, under various themes and titles: The Misuse of Alcohol (2016); Drink Less, Reduce Cancer (2017); Youth: Let’s Talk about Alcohol (2018); Women and Alcohol (2019); Alcohol and COVID-19 (2020); Live Better, Drink Less: Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean (2021) and ‘The WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) 2022-2030 – Priorities / Implications for the Caribbean’ (2022).

This year’s hybrid conference theme was entitled “Alcohol Research- Evidence for Action and attracted over 100 virtual and 36 in-person attendees.

The objectives of the Conference and by extension, CARD 2023, were:

1. To provide an update on regional progress and priorities in alcohol policy development and implementation including discussion of barriers and opportunities.
2. To showcase alcohol research from across the English-speaking Caribbean.
3. To discuss how to better utilize research to advocate for accelerated implementation of alcohol policies in the Caribbean.
4. To highlight alcohol advocacy.

Throughout the day, four (4) sessions were held surrounding the issues of alcohol and population-based studies, regional policy, social impact and medical issues. Each session was followed by a brief Q&A segment.

• Download the Concept Note
• Download the Conference Abstract Supplement

The HCC and partners have held an annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Days (CARD) since 2016 you can find details of the other CARD days here.

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OPEN LETTER

to the National Standards Bodies of CARICOM

in reference to the

CARICOM Member State Voting on the Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard for Specification for labeling of pre-packaged foods (FDCRS 5)

4 October, 2023

Dear CARICOM National Standards Bodies,

We are writing as leaders in health and nutrition across the Caribbean to urge your stakeholders representing diverse sectors of society and senior policymakers in Ministries of Trade, Commerce, Business, Finance, and Agriculture, to support the approval of the Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard for Specification for labeling of pre-packaged foods (FDCRS 5), which includes the octagonal front-of-package warning label and the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model.

Caribbean people deserve the best nutritional labelling system to reduce malnutrition in all its forms—including undernutrition and overnutrition—and improve their health.

Among various nutritional labelling systems, scientific evidence, including from the Caribbean region, underscores the superior effectiveness of the octagonal warning label, which empowers consumers to quickly, correctly, and easily identify products with unhealthy nutritional profiles.

Caribbean countries have some of the world’s most alarming rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity. These conditions not only place immense strain on our healthcare systems, but also pose a significant threat to our economic stability, and, as underscored in the recent Bridgetown Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health, they jeopardize our regional development objectives and the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

At the heart of these diet-related health challenges lies the overconsumption of foods high in sodium/salt, sugar, and fats – a situation which is in part due to the lack of awareness of the content of many foods. Current nutrition labels are difficult to read and understand and are often misleading.

Caribbean people deserve access to a labelling system that has proven its effectiveness in helping consumers make informed food choices.

Studies conducted globally, as well as regionally in Jamaica and in Barbados, show that the octagonal warning label outperforms all other labels in allowing consumers to quickly, easily, and correctly identify foods high in sodium/salt, sugar, and fats.[1] In Barbados, the introduction of octagonal warning labels has the potential to reduce NCD deaths by 16%, while saving the government in excess of 700 million US dollars in mortality costs annually.[2]

The impact of the octagonal warning labeling system extends far beyond the supermarket aisle. It has the capacity to easily identify those food products which should be regulated in various settings, including schools, and be subjected to taxation (unhealthy products) and subsidies (healthy products). The HCC and partners’ newly launched campaign, ‘Octagonal Warning Labels help consumers #ActOnFacts’ speaks to this and the other co-benefits of implementing this labelling standard.

The time to act is now.

The time to act is now, as we echo the commitment made by Caribbean Heads of State and Government in the 2007 Declaration of Port of Spain to address the “epidemic of chronic NCDs” by prioritising the prevention of NCDs through strong policies. Approval of this Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard and the octagonal warning label not only honours this historic commitment, but also represents a significant step towards safeguarding the nutrition and health of our citizens, particularly those living with obesity and NCDs. The rising levels of childhood obesity in the region and the associated increased risk of NCDs, heighten the imperative for action; Caribbean people have a right to simple and easily understood information about the food they consume; right now, they do not.

Our collective voices build on the signatures of support from over 400 Caribbean public health professionals, academics, and ordinary citizens, and over 40 regional organisations.

We implore your stakeholders to consider the urgency of this matter and the profound impact that your decision will have on the immediate and future nutrition, health, and well-being of Caribbean people, and, by extension, national and regional development.

By approving the Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard for Specification for labelling of pre-packaged foods and the octagonal warning label, through a fair and balanced vote including all key stakeholders, you will send a clear message of commitment to improve the lives of citizens across CARICOM and securing a healthier future for the region.

SIGNED

REGIONAL PARTNERS

Sir Trevor Hassell, President, Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC)

Mr. Dean Chambliss, Subregional Program Director for the Caribbean, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)

Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General, OECS Commission

Mr. Pieter Bult, Representative EC, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean

Mrs. Nicole Foster, Law Lecturer & Head, Law and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

Professor Simon Anderson, Director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GA-CDRC)

HCC PATRON

Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus, PAHO

NCD COMMISSION CHAIRS

Mr. Suleiman Bulbulia, Chair, Barbados National NCD Commission

Dr. Trevor Ferguson, Chair, Jamaica National NCD Commission

Dr. Jane Noel, Chair, Grenada National NCD Commission

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION PARTNERS

Dr. Vanessa White-Barrow, President, Caribbean Association of Nutritionist and Dieticians

Ms. Debbie Chen, Executive Director, Heart Foundation of Jamaica

Ms. Abi Begho, Founder and Programme Director, Lake Health and Wellbeing

Dr. Karen Sealey, Founder and Chair, Trinidad and Tobago NCD Alliance

Dr. Sonia Nixon, Chair, Grenada Cancer Society

Ms. Laura Tucker-Longsworth, Founder and Chair of the Belize Cancer Society, Former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Belize

Shannique Bowden, Executive Director, Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network

Ms. Janice Olliver-Creese, President, St Vincent and the Grenadines Diabetes & Hypertension Ass Inc

Ms. Juanita James, President, Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association

Dr. Nancy Charles Larco, Executive Director, Fondation Haïtienne de Diabète et de Maladies Cardiovasculaires, Haiti

Dr. Tamara Remy, President, St. Lucia Cancer Society

View/download the open letter here

[1] https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/4/e065620

[2] https://iris.paho.org/bitstream/handle/10665.2/57989/PAHONMHRF230040_eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

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Octagonal warning labels help consumers #ActOnFacts and presenting science-based evidence in support of the octagonal warning label (OWL) contained within the Final Draft of the CARICOM Regional Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (FDCRS 5).

Read the press release for the webinar here.

The webinar was attended by over 200 participants from across the region.

Webinar Goal and Objectives

The goal of the webinar was to provide an update on the status of the Final Draft of the CARICOM Regional Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (FDCRS 5) which contains the octagonal front of package warning label and share evidence in support of octagonal warning labels as a key measure to catalyse the reshaping of food environments in the Caribbean.

The objectives of the webinar were:

1. To promote the campaign “Octagonal Warning Labels help consumers #ACTONFACTS ” in support of the Final Draft of the CARICOM Regional Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (FDCRS 5) which contains the OWL as defined by the PAHO nutrient profile model.
2. To increase public awareness of the detrimental impact of ultra-processed products high in sugars, fats and sodium and the role of the ‘high-in’ octagonal front of package warning labels (OWL) in promoting healthier food choices.
3. To provide policymakers and policy influencers with a comprehensive understanding of FOPWL, specifically OWL, and to present robust scientific evidence underpinning the use of OWL and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) to guide OWL thresholds.
4. To provide science-based evidence to correct misinformation about OWL including the false narrative that OWL negatively impacts trade and the economy.
5. To encourage both the public and policymakers support for OWL and the FDCRS-5.

Overall Moderator

Ms. Maisha Hutton
Executive Director
HCC

Partners

Sir Trevor Hassell
President
HCC

Dr. Anselm Hennis
Director, Department of NCDs
and Mental Health
PAHO

Dr. Lisa Indar
Director, Surveillance, Disease
Prevention and Control Division
CARPHA

Dr. Didacus Jules
Director General
OECS Commission

Mr. Pieter Bult
UNICEF
Representative to the
Eastern Caribbean Area

Panellists

Ms. Tamie Marie
Communication Consultant
HCC

Ms. Samantha Moitt
Chief Nutrition Officer,
Nutrition Unit
Ministry of Health,Wellness
and the Environment
Antigua and Barbuda

Mr. Luis Galicia
PAHO International Consultant
Sodium Reduction

Dr. Fabio da Silva Gomes
Advisor Nutrition and Physical
Activity
PAHO

Ms. Nicole Foster
Lecturer, Faculty of Law
and Head of Law
and Health Research Unit

Ms. Isabel Barbosa
Senior Associate
Adjunct Professor of Law
O’Neill Institute for National
and Global Health Law
Georgetown University
Law Center

Ms. Xarriah Nicholls
Youth Advocate
Person living with an NCD
Healthy Caribbean Youth

The post What Is Happening With Food Labels in CARICOM? appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

Although some industry players propose alternative labelling options, with our people’s health on the line, we need the label that is backed by sound, scientific research; and the Octagonal Warning Label (OWL) is 9 TIMES more effective at helping us quickly, correctly and easily identify products that are high in sugars, sodium and fats than other labeling system.

THE OCTAGONAL WARNING LABEL IS AT THE CENTRE OF A WIDER STRATEGY!

The Octagonal Warning Label enables other healthy food policies because it clearly and effectively identifies products that are high in sugars, sodium and fats and, therefore, harmful to health of our families and children.

This means it makes it easier to design, implement and enforce healthy policies like:

• Regulating the sale and marketing of these unhealthy food products in and around schools, and school settings like youth sporting events
• Regulating the marketing of these foods to children
• Taxing unhealthy food products and subsidising healthy foods

So, the Octagonal Warning Label is a crucial launchpad for these policies that can protect our children and families, and also make it easier and more affordable for citizens to make healthy food choices.

THIS VOTE AND THESE POLICIES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER!

Modern diets lack fresh, minimally processed food and are inundated with ultra- processed food products high in sugar, fats and salt which lead to our region’s biggest killers: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure and even some cancers.

With these ultra-processed food products being made easily accessible, attractively marketed, cheap and convenient, it’s more important than ever to have clear facts about the food we buy and consume.

That clarity can go a long way toward helping us make healthier food choices and protect our families and children from the harmful results of unhealthy options.

It is a step toward rebuilding the health of our population one family, one meal, one choice at a time!

PEOPLE LIVING WITH DIET-RELATED DISEASES NEED CLEAR NUTRITIONAL FACTS!

Everyone should to be able to correctly and easily identify foods high in sugar, sodium and fats.

But, for people living with living with diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, obesity and even some cancers, clarity and honesty can actually help to control their conditions, and ultimately save their lives by helping them make better, healthier choices in the long-term!

IT’S JUST EASIER TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES WHEN THE FACTS ARE CLEAR!

Appealing and persuasive package designs, clever marketing and misleading claims on packaging, and confusing nutrition labels can often lead to unhealthy food products being mistaken as “good for us”. Consumers need help to combat these tactics.

This is why we need a label that provides clear facts that let us quickly, correctly and easily identify unhealthy food products.

CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE

Launch Date: Monday | 25 SEPTEMBER, 2023

Locale: Regional/Caribbean

Type: Social Media Campaign

Purpose: To advocate and build support for the current final draft regional standard for labelling pre-packaged foods, which includes the octagonal front-of-package warning labelling system.

In October 2023, CARICOM countries voted on whether to approve the Octagonal Warning Labels or not. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition in support of the Octagonal Warning Label!

1470

People Signed (including Caribbean Academics, Researchers and Health Practitioners)

RELATED RESOURCES

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Mobilising for 2025 – A Caribbean Civil Society NCD Forum

July 6-7, 2023
Courtyard Marriott Hotel | Bridgetown, Barbados

Background

This meeting: Mobilising for 2025 – A Caribbean Civil Society NCD Forum represents a reconvening of face to face meetings of HCC member organisations and partners. The aim of the Forum is to bring together HCC member civil society organisations (CSOs) and key stakeholders to discuss NCD (including Mental, Neurological and Substance Abuse Disorders – MNSDs)[1] prevention and control priorities in the Caribbean as we reflect on where we are including current  progress and challenges and map a path forward to place the region back on track to meet SDG NCD Target 3.4: Noncommunicable diseases and mental health: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

Much work is needed as the most recent 2022 NCD Progress Monitor showed the Caribbean was significantly off track across most areas including risk factor interventions (WHO Best Buys and Recommended Interventions) and treatment indicators (management guidelines and drug therapies).  As a result, the NCD-related health and socioeconomic toll on our fragile economies continues to rise as we face the interconnected challenges of, climate change and food insecurity, exacerbated in our Small Island Developing States (SIDS) settings. From June 14-16, high-level officials from across the SIDS will convene in Barbados for the SIDS Ministerial Conference on NCDs and Mental Health where they will unite in their endorsement of what is anticipated to a be a bold action-oriented Political Outcome Document which recognizes the key health and development threats of NCDs, commercial determinants and climate change and presents concrete actions to tackle these threats as a SIDS community through a highly anticipated SIDS NCDs Roadmap.

The diverse array of civil society actors impacted by NCDs – including those representing: all chronic diseases, key groups such as people living with NCDs (PWLNCDs), young people, related lived experiences, climate change, food systems, and academia – have and continue to play a critical role in driving and supporting rights-based, equitable, evidence-informed NCD responses across the region.

The post Mobilising for 2025 – A Caribbean Civil Society NCD Forum appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

Accelerating the Removal of Ultra-Processed Products From Caribbean Schools – The Food in Our Schools Matters

July 4-5, 2023
Courtyard Marriott Hotel | Bridgetown, Barbados

This meeting: Accelerating the removal of ultra-processed products from Caribbean schools represents a reconvening of face-to-face meetings of Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) member organisations and partners. The aim of the meeting is to support harmonised regional acceleration of robust evidence-informed policies which regulate the availability and marketing of ultra-processed products in school settings, by bringing together diverse stakeholders, including those from government, civil society and academia.  This meeting precedes a second meeting hosted by the HCC immediately following on July 6-7, 2023. The second meeting: Mobilising for 2025 – A Caribbean Civil Society NCD Forum aims to bring together HCC member civil society organisations (CSOs) and key stakeholders to discuss non-communicable disease (NCD) (including mental, neurological and substance use disorders – MNSDs)[1] prevention and control priorities.

The Caribbean has some of the highest adult obesity rates in the world and an emerging crisis of overweight and obesity is facing up to 1 in 3 children in the region[2]. Childhood overweight and obesity not only are associated with serious complications in childhood and adolescence, but they also track into adulthood, placing individuals at higher risk for NCDs. Like many other small developing states and low- and middle-income countries, the Caribbean region has experienced a nutritional transition driven by globalisation and trade liberalisation, resulting in a culture of diets characterized by excess consumption of ultra-processed foods high in fat, salt and sugar fueling skyrocketing rates of obesity and diet-related NCDs.  Children from this region consume more sugar-sweetened beverages than anywhere in the world and more than triple the global average. Dramatic increases in overweight and obesity in recent decades has been driven by overconsumption of ultra-processed foods high in sugars, fats and salt.  In response, there is an increasing momentum across the region towards the implementation of policies which restrict or altogether ban the availability of unhealthy foods and beverages in schools.

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The Healthy Caribbean Coalition was delighted with the endorsement of the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health. The Bridgetown Declaration, developed by SIDS for SIDS, was prepared by co-chairs Barbados’ Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson, and Ambassador of Fiji, Luke Daunivalu with inputs from SIDS member states and other SIDS stakeholders including civil society through extensive consultation. HCC and NCD ALLIANCE, in support of the process, developed a discussion paper, and participated in the consultative process.

A Response to the pre-final declaration was also developed which can be found here. HCC applauds this impressive political document, which contains strong language on: commercial determinants of health (CDOH) and associated actions to address the CDOH; strengthening and integration of mental health across NCD services; prioritization of childhood obesity prevention; implementation of WHO, Best Buy’s and  recommended interventions; strengthening, climate resilient health systems; innovative NCD financing; meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs, young people, and other key groups; and strengthening pathways and mechanisms for inter SIDS collaboration across all sectors – to highlight a few areas.

The Declaration is a bold and ambitious political action-oriented document, uniquely containing two annexes dedicated to providing important SIDS context and specific calls to action to drive the realization of the Declaration. SIDS Member States including Barbados, Belize, Montserrat and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have already begun to commit to actions on NCDs and Mental Health. All Commitments can be found here. The Declaration will also feed into the upcoming 2nd UN High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, the SIDS 2024 Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, and the  2025 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs – amongst others.

Another perspective on the conference including Q&A’s with some of the delegates and the extensive media coverage can be found on this page SIDS Ministerial Conference on NCDs and Mental Health.

In this video, Ambassadors Luke Daunivalu (Fiji) and Ambassador Matthew Wilson (Barbados) present the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration to WHO Director-General.

Additional resources

SIDS commitments for NCDs and mental health

Small Island Developing States Data Portal

Noncommunicable diseases and mental health in small island developing states report

Here are some photos from the event

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While littering may not seem like a “big deal” on the contrary, the environmental impact can be quite large. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the Caribbean is the second most plastic contaminated sea in the world (UNEP, 2019) with plastic bottles being the most common plastics found in our waters (Birds Caribbean, 2019). This can have major implications on marine life, such as lacerations, suffocation and other forms of injury or illness (IUCN, 2021). Plastic waste can be regarded as a “silent killer” leading to the death of seabirds throughout the Caribbean (Bird Caribbean, 2019). Plastic is also known to affect the nesting, breeding and feeding of these animals, which may have consequences for the food chain. While the long term impact is unknown, we owe it to the future generations to minimize exposure as much as possible.

It may seem easy to ignore what occurs in our ocean, after all it’s not always visible to the naked eye, however what happens in our oceans affects both human and planetary health. For instance, a plastic bottle in the ocean can break down over time into microplastics which are then consumed by fish in the sea. When fisherfolks are out in the ocean, they may catch the fish which is then sold at our local fish market for consumption to the general population. Plastics that are inappropriately discarded, can find their way into the human body. The United States National Ocean Service highlights that very little is known about microplastics and their impact on marine and human life (NOS, 2023). Therefore it is prudent that we act now and protect our oceans from plastic pollution, to protect our health and animal health.

Inappropriate disposal of plastic bottles is not only a concern for the marine environment, it also poses a threat on land as it can be used as a breeding ground for mosquitoes when water settles in discarded plastic waste. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but pose many  threats to human health such as the spread of dengue fever, zika virus, chikungunya and other related diseases.

Another critical element to consider when discussing the impact of plastic pollution is the link between plastics and unhealthy foods high in salt, sugar and fat. The Big Food industry uses plastic packaging for many food and drink products and despite some actors’ ‘pledges’ to make their plastic packaging more sustainable, global reports [1] indicate that major players continue to use ‘more virgin plastic’ despite efforts to reduce their use. This equates to more plastic waste; the products and their packaging have long term health consequences for both humans and the planet. These ultra processed products have played a significant role in the nutritional transition that has occurred in the Caribbean fuelling high rates of NCDs and obesity. This is a reminder of the strong interlinkages between health and the environment and the need for synergistic solutions to address both of these issues.

Undoubtedly, plastic does more harm than good and it is time for us to think critically about our use and disposal of plastics and the harm to human and planetary health. We’ve made great strides in technological advancement and infrastructure, but we have the potential to create sustainable solutions to plastic pollution and address this crisis if we act now.

World Environment Day was celebrated on June 5 2023. Plastic production and related pollution presents a major threat to SIDS like those in the Caribbean. The urgency with which we need to collectively address this issue cannot subside.

Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY), the youth arm of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, is a regional group of young health advocates with various backgrounds who are passionate about promoting good health and supportive environments for children and youth.

[1] https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/press-release-progress-needs-fresh-...

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On Friday June 9th, 2023 the HCC and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) delivered a webinar, “Clearing the Air – Vaping and Youth in The Caribbean” to launch HCC’s new report, “Vaping Among Adolescents and Youth in The Caribbean: Situation, Policy Responses, and Recommended Actions”.

The report highlights that among individuals aged 13 to 15 years in the 35 PAHO Member States, the highest prevalence of current tobacco use (25.3%) was reported in the Caribbean, noting that ENDS/ENNDS use is also widespread and on the increase in the Caribbean.  The report also makes recommendations to CARICOM governments—and their key partners and stakeholders—for priority actions to prevent and reduce ENDS/ENNDS use and harms among young people in the Caribbean.

Panellists emphasised the urgency of taking action to combat youth vaping given its high prevalence use among adolescents in the Caribbean. Vaping, defined as the inhalation and exhalation of vapour created by an electronic device, which heats a liquid containing nicotine, flavourings, and chemicals, poses significant risks.

Download the report

See the promotional video for the report below.

CARICOM countries, most of which have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, are therefore urged to take swift action to implement regulatory measures to prohibit or restrict the manufacture, import, distribution, presentation, sale, and use of the vaping products, and to ensure that where tobacco control legislative provisions are already in place, but do not effectively address novel products, these laws are updated. Similarly, where no legislative measures are in place, countries are urged to take the relevant steps to ensure that new and emerging products including  ENDS/ENNDS are adequately regulated from the outset.

Read the press release.

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This NCD Civil Society Response in Support of the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration to be adopted this week, provides key messages and follow-up recommendations by the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and the NCD Alliance.

It represents civil society’s ongoing contribution to the development of the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration and accompanying Annexes for adoption at the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Ministerial Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health (14-16 June 2023). The recommendations are the result of NCDA’s and HCC’s involvement in the process so far.

It is hoped that this Conference will be a turning point for SIDS, supported by the global community, to accelerate action on the largely preventable burden of NCDs, including mental, neurological and substance use disorders (MNSDs), that disproportionally impacts SIDS. People living in SIDS are at higher risk of dying prematurely from a major NCD, and SIDS show the highest rates of childhood and adult obesity worldwide.

Read the response document

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