OXFORD HEALTH SUMMIT EXPLORES CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTIONThe World Heart Federation participated in the Oxford Health Alliance summit 20 to 22 November 2006 in Cape Town, South Africa. The theme was “Health in Transition: Working Together.” The focus was on strategies and means to promote the prevention of the global epidemic of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. The conference was opened by Professor Anthony MBewu, President of the Medical Research Council of South Africa. Among the participants were former US Health Secretary Tommy Thompson, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Derek Yach, Oxford University’s John Bell, Steve Leeder of the Australian Health Policy Institute and the World Heart Federation’s Chief Operations Officer Helen Alderson. Columbia University’s Jeffrey Sachs and the World Heart Federation’s Chief Executive Officer Janet Voûte participated electronically. Ms Voûte applauded the “rich discussions,” which were broadcast live on the Internet and may still be viewed at www.3four50.com. She praised the ideas to target peer-reviewed journals, particularly with success stories about chronic disease prevention and to apply low-tech, low-cost, high-uptake solutions to the problem of chronic disease prevention in communities. She urged the more than 100 participants from 40 countries to build upon current progress in chronic disease prevention, stressing the importance of coordination. “Chronic disease was on the agenda for the first time at the Clinton Global Initiative,” she said. “It is embedded in the Wellness in the Workplace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Despite limited funding, it is still a World Health Organization priority.” In particular, she urged the participants to help build the scientific and economic cases for Wellness in the Workplace, reaching out to employees and through them to communities. She called for projects to “demonstrate success in the areas of tobacco control, physical activity and healthy diets…and make our case for greater investment.” The summit saw the launch of the above-mentioned web site. “3Four50” refers to the three risk factors (poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking) for the four chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, some cancers, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes) that are estimated will cause more than 50% of deaths over the next two decades. The site is designed to be an “open space” for the exchange of information and ideas about health. Among the other laudable ideas raised were an Urban Health Index to instil competition among cities and a campaign to make developing countries more aware that they have a double burden of disease – both infectious and chronic. According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases accounted for 60% of all deaths in 2005, with 80% of the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Jeffrey Sachs sounded an optimistic note, saying “there are some real solutions” to the epidemic of chronic diseases. Tommy Thompson urged a reform of world health systems, saying they overemphasize treatment over prevention. "We don’t do it with our cars, but we certainly do it with our bodies," he said. He advocated greater restrictions on smoking. "Tobacco is wrong and people should quit," he said. "There is not the political courage to stand up and say nicotine kills." Derek Yach lamented the epidemic of overweight and obesity to which one third of South African men and half of women have succumbed. “The trends continue; the risks have worsened,” he said. | |||||||
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