Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting 2012

Geneva, 20 May 2012

Theme
Linking Non-Communicable and Communicable Diseases

Venue
The meeting took place at the Starling Geneva Hotel and Conference Centre, Geneva.

Background
Both the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Statement on Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the 2011 United Nations High-Level Meeting Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases acknowledged that NCDs constitute a major challenge to development in the twenty-first century, undermining social and economic advances, increasing inequalities within and between countries, and threatening the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

In recognising that many member states faced a dual burden, of not just NCDs, but also communicable diseases (CDs), Commonwealth Health Ministers decided to explore further the linkages between NCDs and CDs. This is particularly pertinent in view of the number of lowand middle-income countries in the Commonwealth facing this dual challenge to already over-stretched healthcare systems.

Meeting Objectives
The Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting will provide member states with a technical update on the linkages between NCDs and CDs and an opportunity to discuss main policy and technical issues pertaining to the linkages between NCDs and CDs. The meeting will also be an opportunity for countries to share experiences and best practices. and for the Commonwealth Secretariat to receive policy and technical direction for its work in this area.

Chair
The Chair of the meeting was the Hon Donville Inniss, Minister of Health, Barbados.

Documents
Aide Memoire on Administrative Arrangements