NEW WHO ADVOCACY TOOLKIT ADVANCES FIGHT AGAINST CHRONIC DISEASESThe World Health Organization has produced and is disseminating a powerful advocacy toolkit to intensify the fight against cardiovascular disease and the other chronic diseases, which, together, are the world’s biggest killers, accounting for 60% of all deaths. The bright and attractively presented multimedia toolkit comes in a reusable box. It contains a practical manual on effective advocacy, and a range of chronic disease advocacy tools, which can be used immediately or adapted to the local context. Tools include policy briefs, pre-packaged media features, brochures, and advocacy posters, along with a wealth of other items contained in a CD-DVD multimedia pack. The toolkit is designed to be used by anyone involved in advocating for an improved response to chronic diseases, which, besides cardiovascular disease, also include diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. Target users are nongovernmental organizations, including the World Heart Federation and its more than 100 member organizations; national and international public health officials; health care opinion leaders; and patient and consumer groups. The toolkit is designed to equip users with key messages, methods, and tools, which will then enable them to powerfully advocate for increased focus on chronic disease with decision-makers such as government ministers, donors, businesses and community leaders, who have authority to finance, plan for and deliver programmes to prevent and control chronic diseases. Equipping advocates to state the case“Our goals are threefold: to teach the process of effective advocacy, to equip users with a range of advocacy tools and to multiply the dissemination of key messages about chronic disease,” said JoAnne Epping-Jordan, Senior Programme Advisor in the World Health Organization’s Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, which designed the kit. “Thousands of voices speaking independently cannot be ignored or dismissed. By working together to deliver key messages with one voice, advocates can make a real difference. With the help of the toolkit, users will be able make a solid and compelling case for increased investment in chronic disease prevention and control.” The toolkit draws heavily from the World Health Organization’s 2005 report, Preventing Chronic Diseases: a vital investment, for an explanation of why much more must be done to prevent and control chronic diseases. The report revealed that cardiovascular disease accounts for half of chronic disease deaths, that 80% of chronic disease deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries and that cost-effective measures could avert 36 million premature deaths over 10 years. Advocacy: a learned skillThe toolkit assumes no prior advocacy experience. Using straightforward language and chronic disease examples, it outlines a simple, seven-step process for designing and implementing an effective advocacy plan. “There is nothing mysterious or complex about successful advocacy,” Dr Epping-Jordan said. “On the other hand, it is not something that most people naturally know how to do without some education. Fundamentally, advocacy is a skill that can be learned and mastered.” The World Heart Federation has pledged to help the World Health Organization disseminate the toolkit to chronic disease advocates in low- and middle-income countries. Other nongovernmental organizations that have agreed to disseminate it include ProCOR, the International Union Against Cancer, the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases and the Christian Blind Mission. The World Health Organization has produced 4,000 of the toolkits – 3,000 in English and 1,000 in French. Organizations may request copies by writing to the World Health Organization at chronicdiseases(at)who.int. The Pan American Health Organization is translating it into Spanish and Portuguese. “The toolkit will be an invaluable resource to anyone interested in scaling up the fight against cardiovascular disease and the other chronic diseases,” said World Heart Federation Chief Executive Officer Janet Voûte. “For far too long, the response to the chronic diseases has been inadequate and misinformed. This toolkit will provide its users with a sound foundation for raising awareness, changing minds and encouraging meaningful action .” | |||||||
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