Voices of the Health Revolution

After working together for years addressing cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) at city level, colleagues at C/Can and Roche looked back at the high and low points of their partnership. Each organisation then decided independently that it was time to create a framework to help structure their multisector collaboration and share their learnings with others interested in partnerships. They brought in outside experts and after about a year produced their Collaboration Framework, a tool that has been spotlighted by the World Economic Forum. In this episode, we’re speaking with Harold Cottin, Head of Global Public Affairs at C/Can, and Fernando Arnaiz, Access Lead for low- and mid-income countries at Roche, about the journey to create the framework.Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.Find out more: actonncds.org

La Alianza de ENT lanzó en 2024 el Llamamiento a liderar las ENT como una herramienta esencial de sensibilización, instando a todos los gobiernos a avanzar en sus compromisos en la prevención y control de ENT. Hace un llamado a los líderes mundiales a tomar decisiones efectivas en la próxima Reunión de Alto Nivel de la ONU sobre la prevención y control de ENT y la promoción de la salud mental y el bienestar, que tendrá lugar el próximo 25 de Septiembre en Nueva York. La carta está abierta a la firma de la sociedad civil, incluyendo organizaciones e individuos.¿Qué significa liderar en materia de ENT en 2025? ¿Cómo podemos generar presión para que los gobiernos actúen? Nuestra coordinadora de la Campaña de la Semana Mundial de Acción, Gina Sánchez, analizó estas preguntas y la carta abierta con Jimena Márquez, Directora de Comunicación de Alianza de ENT, en este episodio de Voces de la Revolución de la Salud.Súmate al Llamamiento a liderar: https://actonncds.org/es/pasa-a-la-accion/llamamiento-liderar-entsVoces de la revolución en salud es una serie de podcasts que destaca a las y los activistas pioneros que están liderando las acciones más audaces para proteger nuestro derecho universal a la salud, incluso cuando eso implica tomar una posición en contra las grandes industrias que lo amenazan.

Today we’re speaking with Anu Gomanju and Edith Mukantwari, advocates for strengthening the global response to NCDs and both themselves living with NCDs. Anu works with the NCDI Poverty Network as well as patient and family organizations such as the Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts, while Edith is Executive Director of the Africa Diabetes Alliance. Both our guests stress that the NCD response must move beyond treating people living with NCDs in a token way, to one of meeting their needs so they can live productive, healthy lives. This includes providing resources so that people living with NCDs can contribute meaningfully to preparations for the 4th High-Level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being, in September this year.'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.Find out more: actonncds.org

In this episode, we’re looking ahead to UHC Day, on December 12. The 2024 theme is Health: it’s on the government! UHC of course stands for Universal Health Coverage, and today we’re talking about financing for UHC and its relationship to NCDs financing. Our guest is Professor David Watkins, of the departments of Medicine and Global Health at the University of Washington. We will delve into issues including how government financing for UHC will by necessity be dominated by NCDs prevention and care, which is now paid in large part by out-of-pocket spending. David also points out how investing in the so-called ‘best buys’ to tackle NCDs generates a limited amount of revenue, so that governments must also work to raise more funds overall and ensure that enough revenue is dedicated to health and to NCDs specifically. Finally, David outlines some of his current research ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in September 2025, including on the affordability of medicines.'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.Find out more: actonncds.org

Jamaica and other Caribbean countries are known for their leadership in advocating globally for action on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Jamaica Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton explains how and why in this episode of the NCD Alliance podcast, Voices of the health revolution. One notable success he singled out is Jamaica Moves, a programme to encourage the general public to be physically active, which builds on people’s love of music and dance. Looking ahead to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2025, it’s time to declare the NCDs epidemic as a global health emergency, said the Minister. “We are losing our population and indeed the global population in many jurisdictions are on the decline, largely because of premature illness and premature mortality.”'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.Find out more: actonncds.org

In July, NCD Alliance published The Call To Lead open letter which serves as a crucial advocacy tool, urging all governments to fulfil their commitments to address the burden of NCDs. It calls on Member States to take decisive action at the Fourth UN High-level Meeting on NCDs in September 2025. Open to civil society endorsement, including both organisations and individuals, this sign-on letter will be delivered to world leaders next year.What does it mean to lead on NCDs in 2024? How can we create pressure points for governments to take action? Our Global Week for Action Campaign Coordinator, Gina Sanchez, discussed these questions and the open letter itself with NCD Alliance Policy and Advocacy Director Alison Cox in the latest episode of the Voices of the Health Revolution. 🗨️ "Leaders have a moral imperative to urgently address the global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases. NCDs are not just a health crisis—they threaten our collective future, deepen inequalities, and hinder sustainable development," says Alison.  'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it. Find out more: actonncds.org/take-action/call-to-lead-on-ncds

This is our third episode on the theme of leadership and the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs (UNHLM). It features the voices of youth working to address the noncommunicable disease (NCD) emergency. “It’s really important to talk about who has the power to make decisions,” said physician Apoorva Gomber, who acted as host. All the guests agreed that youth are already acting as leaders globally but that their work needs to be better incorporated into policy-making about NCDs. The definition of leadership should also be broadened, said Swarnima Bhattacharya, founder of Gytree, which focuses on NCDs and women in India. “There are people who are working through community radio, people who are raising awareness in education, there are doctors who are building communities also… obviously youth are at the forefront because they have mobility and energy.” Looking to the UNHLM, priorities should include 1. Stronger political commitments and finances, 2. Equitable access to prevention, screening and treatment for NCDs, especially for marginalized people, and 3. Addressing commercial determinants of health, including marketing of unhealthy products, said Queen Morkporkpor Doe, from Ghana. 'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

The World Bank is co-hosting the Second global dialogue on sustainable financing for NCDs and mental health, 20-21 June 2024, in Washington DC. Ahead of the meeting we spoke with Dr Monique Vledder, Practice Manager of the Global Health, Nutrition and Population Unit at the Bank. She stressed the importance of World Bank President Ajay Banga declaring in April that the Bank intended to reach 1.5 billion people with healthcare programmes. Vledder is hoping the Dialogue helps to build consensus on policy recommendations and strategies that will feed into the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2025. “We’re just delighted that at the core of that is country leadership — there’s a very very large group of ministers of health and their senior staff joining the Dialogue to build a consensus and the recommendations for what’s next.” 'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.