In a message to the global conference titled Non-Communicable diseases and Sustainable Development-Promoting Policy Coherence in Monte Video, Uruguay, President Rouhani said that despite outstanding advances in information technology, governments face considerable burden of diseases specially those of the non-communicable ones along with increasing costs which in turn, would entail pressure on their development agenda.
Full text of his message reads as follows:
In the name of God the Compassionate the Merciful
Your Excellency President Tabare Vasqueze President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,
Honorable Heads of States
Distinguish Health Ministers of the Global Community
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Iranian people, I wish to express my appreciation to the host, the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, for convening this important global Conference together with the World Health Organization titled Non-Communicable diseases and Sustainable Development-Promoting Policy Coherence.
In todays world the main bulk of factors affecting the health of citizens are formed, decided upon and applied outside the realm of the public and private institutions which traditionally have direct links to health, including ministries of Health.
The outstanding advances in information technology on one hand, and the fundamental transformation of peoples life style all over the world, the increasing migrations and urbanization together with their side effects on the other, have had significant negative impacts on the health of the people not withstanding the increasing level of comfort and hope they have brought to the live of people.
Moreover, the threats to the global peace and the ever increasing number of the displaced and the refugees including those in Myanmar, Syria and Yemen has both endangered the health of the people and has faced the host nations with great challenges.
Clean air, enough safe food, suitable shelter, decent job and vibrant living surrounding are but the instrumental elements in providing health for human beings. Governments have a fundamental role in adopting, balanced and coherent policies resulting in all-out health, welfare and progress of their people.
Meanwhile, the Non-communicable diseases and their risk factors have become the most serious preventable premature cause of death in human societies which require the utmost concentration of governments on policymaking and implementing the complementary policies, so that they bring about sustainable development.
I believe health is both an individual as well as a social responsibility. If governments do not attend to the social factors affecting health with an aim to enabling their citizens to become more responsible and more responsive, they will inevitably face the considerable burden of diseases specially those of the Non-communicable once along with increasing costs which in turn, would entail pressure on their development agenda as well as adversely affecting the required human resources making them faulty and inefficient.
Excellencies,
In the course of the new term and more determined than before, my government while choosing health as one of its major goals, has embarked on a series of measures at all policy levels, aiming at diminishing the risk factors of the Non-communicable diseases and boosting vibrancy, and welfare, so that preventable deaths caused by factors leading to these diseases are minimized and social assets are boosted.
Most unfortunately the moralities caused by this category of diseases in the societies with middle and low income are significantly higher than the once in high-income societies. It seems creating people-oriented institutions and reducing the role of governments in providing services while concentrating on evidence-base policy-making infrastructure building and providing high quality services could be a way out of the gap.
We are of the idea that all should be mobilized to combat NCDs from different sectors in the government to all institutions and to all pillars of the society.
My country has devised a very effective and efficient mechanism called the Supreme Council of Health and food safety chaired by the President and with the participation of nine Ministers and all relevant organizations, through which all cross-cutting inter-sectoral coordinations are monitored to achieve the high aim of inclusion of health in all policies.
In the past one and a half year, in the council has adopted a national document on prevention and combating the NCDs as well as a number of cross-cutting decisions on reducing fat, sugar, salt and increasing tax on harmful substances.
Distinguish participants,
I am of the firm idea that prioritizing comprehensive health by the leaders of the countries is the prerequisite of fostering effective and coordinated policies in order to have progressive and vibrant societies.
In this vein, universal health coverage and protecting citizens from health expenses is a must to which there is a special reference in the SDGs. I am proud to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been selected as one of the fast track countries by the WHO for its comprehensive policies to control and prevent the NCDs. We are quite ready to share our experience with all countries and also learn from world knowledge and experience to elevate the health for our people.
I hope this great conference in the beautiful Uruguay could attract fruitful debates and exchange of experience among Heads of states, Ministers and experts in order to improve comprehensive policies and increase the political will of countries in meaningful reduction of NCDs and related mortalities. I pray to the great God for your success.'
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