The 71st session of the World Health Assembly officially opens on Monday 21 May. Although the official agenda does not begin until Monday, the action starts days before.
DAI is working more closely with the NCD Alliance and many other organisations, now also including the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA), and we will be joining the NCD Alliance #ENOUGH Campaigns this week, and the many activites of the WHPCA. As dementia is a non communicable disease (NCD), and we have ahuman right to appropriate palliative care, these are important for us all.
Here are two of the #NCD Alliance campaign messages:
ENOUGH: Time to translate commitments to action for NCDs. At #WHA71 we must put people 1st, make #NCDs an investment priority backed up with evidence-based policies, protect children from obesity and give all #PLWNCDs access to treatment #enoughNCDs #beatNCDs
Calling all leaders at #WHA71. We have had ENOUGH. We want and need you to commit to putting people first by involving #PLWNCDs in the decision making process. Our health is our right, and all people need action to protect it right now! #enoughNCDs #beatNCDs #NCDvoices
Below is a list of some of the meetings DAI is attending and the many interesting side-events throughout the week:
- 20/5 - 10:30 am - Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge - walk or run - led by WHO
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20/5 - 18:00 - 19:30 pm - Panel discussion on Saving Lives, Spending Less: A Strategic Response to Noncommunicable Diseases
- 21/5 - 9:00 am - Opening of the World Health Assembly
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21/5 - 10:30 - 11 am - NCD Alliance meeting
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21/5 - 2:30 & 4:00 pm - Meetings with the WHO
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21/5 - 18:00 - 19:45 - NCD Alliance Side Event: ENOUGH. Making 2018 the year for action and accountability on NCDs
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22/5 - 17.00-19.00 - Global Rehabilitation Alliance Meeting
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22/5 - 18:00 pm - Taking Civil Society Engagement to New Heights
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23/5 - 8am - 11am - WHO Civil Society Working Group on the third High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on NCDs
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23/5 - 16:30 pm - From the Ground Up: NCDs, TB and Resilient Health Systems
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23/5 - 19:00-19:50 - ADI Side Event: Mobilising Society: Inspiration for developing national responses to dementia
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24/5 - 7:30 am - Changing the Story: Creating a New Obesity Narrative
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24/5 - 12:30 pm - Reducing Sugar, Salt and Fat to Prevent NCDs: Bold Initiatives and Success Stories
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24/5 - 16:30 pm - Human Rights in Global Health
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24/5 - 8 -10 am - Global Health Council, Living Goods, IntraHealth International, Frontline Health Workers Coalition - Diverse Pathways and Partnerships to Universal Health Coverage
Other involvement including times and days to be advised in our role working with Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, are based on their goal to "To build increased commitment for an essential package of palliative care as part of UHC amongst WHO and member states".
I'll do my best to keep DAI members and supporters updated each day, as the Assembly progresses and outcomes from the many meetings and Side Events I am involved in take place.
Kate Swaffer, DAI Chair, CEO & Co-founder
#WorkingForAllPeopleWithDementia