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PRIORITYMEASURE26
“Bring health policies into linewith the challenges of the variedand changing epidemiological profile arising from ageing and the epidemiological transition,
reinforcing the fight to eradicate communicable diseases and implementingactions for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases traditionally referred
to as non-communicable, but now known to be strongly influenced by conditions of social and economic vulnerability in the early years of life,
and ensure that these policies take into account gender, age, regional, ethnic and socioeconomic specificities.”
Possible lines of action
1. Reinforce and promotemultisectoral measures to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs); 2. Adopt policies to reduce
the prevalence of themain risk factors forNCDs and reinforce the protective factors; 3. Enhance the coverage, accessibility and quality of
care for the four main NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) and others that have national
priority; 4. Strengthen countries’ capacity for surveillance and research on NCDs, their risk factors and their determinants, and use
research results as the basis for designing and implementingpolicies; 5. Put in place educationprogrammes on habits for healthy living.
Targets
1. The national social protection system in the field of health considers universal and equitable access to interventions for NCDs;
2. By 2030 reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through prevention and treatment, and
promote mental health and well-being (SDG 3.4); 3. By 2030 end preventable deaths of newborns and under-five children (SDG 3.2);
4. Reduce disability resulting from chronic diseases.
Tentative indicators
1. Morbidity rate associated with non-communicable diseases; 2. The rate of premature mortality from non-communicable diseases;
3. Preventable deaths of newborns and childrenunder age 5.
Related instruments,
forums andmechanisms
This prioritymeasure is linkedwith SDG target 3, “Ensure healthy lives and promotewell-being for all at all ages”. Other lines of action,
goals and indicators related with the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases are found in PAHO, “Plan of Action for the
Prevention andControl ofNoncommunicableDiseases in theAmericas, 2013-2019”.
Numerous instruments of international law recognize the human right to health. Article 25 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights asserts that “
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family,
including food, clothing, housing andmedical care and necessary social services.
.” The International Covenant onEconomic, Social and
Cultural Rights contains themost comprehensive stipulation in international law concerning people’s right to health. Pursuant to the first
paragraph of article 12 of theCovenant, States parties recognize “
the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard
of physical andmental health
”, while the second paragraph of article 12mentions, by way of example, various “steps to be taken by the
States parties to the present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right.” General Comment 14 of the Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights indicates (paragraph 25) that
“[w]ith regard to the realization of the right to health of older persons, the
Committee, in accordance with paragraphs 34 and 35 of General Comment No. 6 (1995), reaffirms the importance of an integrated
approach, combining elements of preventive, curative and rehabilitative health treatment. Such measures should be based on periodical
check-ups for both sexes; physical as well as psychological rehabilitativemeasures aimed at maintaining the functionality and autonomy
of older persons; and attention and care for chronically and terminally ill persons, sparing them avoidable pain and enabling them to die
with dignity
” (CESCR, General Comment No. 14, The right to the highest attainable standardof health (E/C.12/2000/4, 2000).
Older persons’ right to health is part of the Additional Protocol to the AmericanConvention onHuman Rights in the Area of Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, “Protocol of San Salvador”, San Salvador, El Salvador, 17 November 1988, which came into force on
16November 1999.
