Dr Margaret Chan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) addressed the meeting “Dialogue on role of non-State actors in government-led NCD responses”
Non-State actors, including Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business associations, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions, are critical partners in supporting the implementation of government-led efforts to address cancer, diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and the associated risk factors.
However, the specific roles and responsibilities of each of these actors varies, depending on the country, the topic, the circumstances and the specific nature and characteristics of each actor.
As the global community summons political will and tries to gear up joint efforts to prevent and control the global NCDs epidemic, serious concerns have emerged about the involvement of industries whose products and business practices are fueling the NCDs epidemic, such as the alcohol and soft drinks industry – they must be understood as Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH).
Conflicts of interest and general understanding of the unethical practices employed by multinational corporations that make up the corporate consumption complex are reasons to exclude these companies and their front groups from public policy-making process to curb NCDs.
