Barbados will be represented this week, by Health Minister, Donville Inniss, and a senior health official, at a Regional High-Level Consultation on the Americas on Non-Communicable Diseases and Obesity.
The meeting will be held in Mexico City, beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23 and will end on Friday, February 25.??
Minister Inniss will be accompanied by Acting Senior Medical Officer of Health with responsibility for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr. Leslie Rollock.??
One of the main objectives of the conference is the creation of a ministerial declaration on the position of the Americas, leading up to discussions to be held at the first United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) to be held from September 19 to 20, in New York City.?? The regional meeting is also expected to promote mechanisms for cooperation among regional countries in relation to the response to obesity and these diseases.
On December 23, 2010, the United Nations (UN) passed a critical resolution calling for the best possible format, structure, and length for the first UN High-level Meeting on CNCDs. ??At the September meeting, the opening plenary will feature statements by the president of the UN General Assembly Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr.?? Margaret Chan.
Three roundtables will also be held to address the prevention and control of CNCDs worldwide, with particular focus on the developmental and other challenges and the social and economic impacts, particularly in developing countries.?? UN Member States will be represented at the meeting by Heads of State.??