A CHAMPION FOR NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: AN INTERVIEW WITH SIR GEORGE ALLEYNE
The NCD Alliance had the pleasure of speaking with Sir George Alleyne shortly after the United Nations DPI/NGO conference, Advance Global Health: Achieve the MDGs, in Melbourne this past 30 August–1 September. Sir George highlighted the central role of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for global health and development as a keynote speaker in the closing ceremonies. A Barbados-born physician, he was the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) from 1995–2003, and was appointed as the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean in 2003. His contribution to health has been recognized on several occasions: in 1990 he was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his service to medicine, and in 2001, he received the Order of the Caribbean Community, the highest honour that can be conferred upon a Caribbean national. He has been a global advocate for the case of NCDs and has contributed to the successful passage of UN Resolution 64/265 calling for a UN Summit on NCDs.
In the following interview he provides his impressions of the UN DPI/NGO conference, progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and his hopes for the UN summit on NCDs.
Good morning and thank you for your time Sir George Alleyne. Could you tell us about how you first became interested in health?
This is not a question that most people can answer. If people tell you something like “there was a great physician who changed my mind”, then doubt them! It is a combination of factors: environmental, family background, school, the state of your own health, the financial aspect - all of those things. When I finished school, I had the choice among medicine, teaching and law, and for reasons which are not quite clear to me now, I chose medicine.
How do you think the global health agenda has changed since you were director at PAHO?
First, there has been a greater interest in reducing global inequity. Second, health is being recognized as intrinsic to global development, aided by the role of health in the new human development index. Third, in terms of epidemiology, a greater emphasis has been placed on NCDs.
How significant was the recent UNDPI meeting in Australia? Was it successful?
I thought it went quite well given the attendance, the number of NGOs represented, and the scope of work of those NGOs. I was also really impressed by the level of commitment, enthusiasm and involvement of the NGOs and of many young people. Overall, the event and venue were highly organized, and the workshops were very well run. I was also pleased with the final declaration.
How much of an impact did NGOs have on NCDs in the meeting?
NCDs were highlighted in and were the main focus of many workshops, which was great to see. Several “non-health” people attended these workshops, as they were interested in the social aspects of the problem. NCDs were also figured into the final declaration – which demonstrated their importance in the meeting.
We heard that there were discussions of cooperation between NGOs and different sectors. Do you foresee progress in this field?
If you are asking whether an interest was shown by non-health sectors in health issues, then the answer is definitely yes!
How important do you consider the MDGs review summit in New York? What is its significance in achieving the MDGs?
During the summit experts will assess the level of progress of MDGs, and commitment to achieving these goals more rapidly, in which there has not been sufficient progress. I hope that the outcome of this review will be a recognition of the importance of NCDs in achieving the MDGs as a whole.
What summit outcomes do you hope to see with regard to the role of governments?
I hope that there will be a rigorous evaluation of the extent to which the world has achieved the MDGs, and that there will be a firm commitment to accelerate in the areas in which the goals have not been achieved. From a parochial point of view, I hope that there will be an agreement that the health MDGs are incomplete if they do not recognize the importance of NCDs.
In your opinion, what will be key to the success of the September 2011 UN summit on NCDs?
In order for the 2011 UN summit to be successful, governments will need to recognize the importance of these diseases and address the risk factors, especially those which are preventable, such as smoking, unhealthy diets and inadequate physical activity, which we know account for a large number of NCDs.
Moreover, there should be a system for monitoring what happens after the summit. Equally important is a commitment by governments to provide and use the appropriate interventions, technology, medicines etc. that are necessary for the prevention and treatment of these diseases when they occur. Finally, we need to see a re-organization and a re-conceptualization of health systems to take account of the changing demographic and epidemiological patterns in the world as a whole.
What would a strong health system that is able to successfully integrate treatment of NCDs look like, particularly in a low-income country?
All good health systems have certain inputs. One must select the appropriate input to achieve the desired output, such as improved health at an individual and population level, greater patient satisfaction, adequate financial protection for patients, and equity in health. We all know which inputs and resources are needed. A major challenge for most healthcare systems will be to effectively address chronic care. Many healthcare systems, especially in developing countries, are more attuned to handle acute medical episodes that affect children and adults, and less to the long-term chronic care issues. Now we need to strengthen systems so that they can adequately address chronic care conditions such as HIV/AIDS and NCDs.
Further information:
For the comprehensive interview: www.ncdalliance.org
The World Heart Federation co-sponsored five workshops during the UNDPI meeting.
Access the presentations >
Read the final conference declaration which was broadened to include NCDs >
