“(WHO) Member States have mandated the WHO GCM/NCD to convene a Working Group to promote health education and health literacy for noncommunicable diseases, with a particular focus on populations with low health awareness and/or literacy, and taking into account the cost-effective and affordable interventions for all Member States contained in Appendix 3 of the WHO global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–20208. This mandate responds to the commitment from Ministers and representatives of States and Governments and heads of delegations included in paragraphs 30(a)(iii) of United Nations General Assembly resolution 68/3009. The Working Group will provide a report with recommendations to the WHO Director-General before the end of 2017. The working group will also include recommendations on action point 2.2 under Objective 210 from the GCM work plan which mandates the GCM to explore other potential low cost approaches for knowledge dissemination and interaction between participants and use these are appropriate.
The first meeting of this Working Group will address key issues that include:
- The definition and scope of health education and health literacy, for application across settings and populations;
- The role of health literacy measurement, including health literacy surveys, to enhance health literacy responsiveness;
- Digital health literacy;
- Health education and health literacy for enhanced prevention and control of NCDs;
- Implementation of the Shanghai Declaration, as a follow-up to the 9th Global Conference on health promotion. How can health literacy contribute to the realization of the SDGs?
- Potential “best buys” on health literacy Interventions
China, through the leadership of the Working Group Co-Chair and with support from the GCM/NCD Secretariat, convened a workshop for the Working group members in the margins of the Shanghai Conference, in preparation for the first Working Group meeting. National experts from across the globe discussed country-specific health literacy interventions and implementation of the recommendations arising from the conference.
As an additional input to this discussion, the WHO GCM/NCD will engage medical students on NCDs and discuss how medical students are being prepared to respond to these disease, under the umbrella of the IFMSA General Assembly, 2-8 March 2017, in Budhva, Montenegro. In order to identify gaps in medical education, representatives from medical school all around the world will participate in a survey to assess the extent to which their health education prepares them to confront the growing burden of NCDs.
The GCM/NCD Secretariat has also prepared a discussion paper summarising key issues and emerging themes and provided additional background documents to enhance the discussions. These documents are made available on the WHO GCM/NCD website.
Between and during the three formal meetings of the Working Group, discussions and consultations between Working Group members and other stakeholders will be organized, summaries of which will be provided at the second and third meetings. Collaboration, intersections and open communication between this Working Group and other WHO GCM/NCD activities, both previous and ongoing, are encouraged in order to share relevant information, build coherence and complement their recommendations.
Overall participation
Meetings will include working group members, WHO Secretariat staff, and subject matter experts for particular topics/discussion points of relevance. At each of the three meetings, there will also be opportunities for consultations in particular during the second and third meetings. Working Groups may consult as needed, including with relevant non-State actors.”
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Source and further information: WHO GCM/NCD