High-level government leaders and multistakeholder partners came together Wednesday to strengthen their commitment to addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health at a side event held during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.
The event, titled “Weaving a Healthy Commonwealth Aiga for Combating Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Mental Health,” was jointly organised by the Ministry of Health, Samoa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Office in Samoa, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The event highlighted the importance of strong political commitment, partnerships and community involvement in tackling the global health challenges posed by NCDs and mental health issues. Participants from various sectors, including health, education, sports, finance, agriculture, trade, and media, shared their insights and strategies to create environments that promote healthier lifestyles and build more resilient health systems.
Noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, are the leading cause of death in most countries. These diseases account for 150 million premature deaths among people aged between 30 and 70 years, most living in developing countries.
Director General of Health, Professor Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma, highlighted Samoa’s unique approach, said “The Ministry of Health has successfully introduced the ‘Package of Essential NCD Services (PEN) Fa’a Samoa’ into our communities, demonstrating our strong commitment to tackling NCDs and mental health issues.
“We continue to seek innovative ways to strengthen our partnerships with other sectors to reduce NCDs and improve mental health. The Samoan government is dedicated to fostering these collaborations to ensure sustainable and impactful health outcomes for our people.”
“Tackling NCDs and mental health is not just a job for the health sector. It requires the dedicated involvement of the whole-of-government and whole-of-society. By working together across different sectors and tapping into community strengths, we can significantly reduce the burden of NCDs and mental health conditions,” said Dr Kim Eva Dickson, WHO Representative to Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.
NCDs have also become a serious challenge for people under 30, who make up 60 percent of the Commonwealth population. In the previous CHOGM held in Rwanda in 2022, the Commonwealth youth-led NCD Guiding Framework was developed to provide a road map for collective action to address the root causes of NCDs and promote healthier lifestyles, especially among the younger population.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland said, “In Rwanda, we committed to take bold multisectoral action to reduce the incidence of NCDs. This year here in Samoa, the Commonwealth remains committed to strengthening partnerships that support health equity and sustainable development. By coming together as a Commonwealth ‘aiga’ or family today, our leaders and stakeholders have underscored the collective resolve to combat NCDs and promote mental health.”
Alongside the focus on addressing NCDs and mental health, the event also highlighted the importance of healthy ageing.
A report, Ageing Well in the Commonwealth: A Roadmap for Healthy Ageing, authored by Professor Dame Carol Black, the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ageing Well was presented at the event. As people live longer by prioritising strategies to prevent NCDs, it is equally important that they continue to thrive and live productive lives.
The event concluded with renewed commitments from various sectors and stakeholders to work together to combat NCDs and promote mental health, helping set the stage for continued collaboration and action within the Commonwealth.
