- All the countries in the UN recognise the need to work in multiple sectors, not only the health sector, in order to stop the dramatic increase of non-communicative deceases. The declaration is an important milestone in the fight against tobacco, obesity and other risks that lead to an early death and bad health, says Minister of Health and Care services, Ms. Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.
Globally, too many people die because of NCDs, many of them because of lack of health services and facilities. A lot of these deaths could have been prevented in advance. In Norway alone, about 20 people die each day because of tobacco related deceases.
- If we shall succeed in helping people to quit smoking, be more active, reduce alcohol consumption and eat more healthy food, we rely on both the public and private sector that will have to put this high on the agenda. That is why the Norwegian delegation is strengthened by representatives from both the Norwegian Cancer Society and the NGO Forut, says Ms. Strøm-Erichsen.
On the international arena we see that NCDs affects in a very unfair way and the result is social differences in health.