Action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in South-East Asia, 2013–2020: extended to 2030
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally as well as in the South-East Asia Region. The Global Action Plan (GAP) for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020, including a comprehensive monitoring framework with 25 indicators and 9 voluntary global targets, was endorsed by the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly in May 2013. The Regional Action Plan for the prevention and control of NCDs in the WHO South-East Asia Region 2013–2020, based on GAP, provides a roadmap for action at the regional and national level to develop and implement policies and programmes to reduce the burden of NCDs within the socioeconomic, cultural, political and health system contexts of Member States. The Seventy-fourth session of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia extended the Regional Action Plan to 2030. The Regional Action Plan lists priority actions for Member States and WHO in four strategic action areas, namely: (i) advocacy, partnerships and leadership; (ii) health promotion and risk reduction; (iii) health systems strengthening for early detection and management of NCDs and their risk factors; and (iv) surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, and research. While these actions will be executed until 2030, implementation of these priority actions should lead to a reduction in overall mortality from major NCDs as well as the achievement of the regional voluntary targets. In addition, the Regional Implementation Roadmap for the prevention and control of NCDs 2022–2030 will also incorporate the targets set for 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Agenda.
