Mobilizing Women in the Fight Against NCDs

Mobilizing Women in the Fight Against NCDs

Nalini Saligram, Ph.D.20 April 2012

Arogya World is a U.S. based non-profit 501 © 3 organization. The name of the organization is simply an articulation of our mission: Arogya in Sanskrit means good health. More literally it means to live a life without disease.

PS31 A gender lens to chronic conditions Geneva Health Forum

Changing the Course of Chronic Disease, One Community at a Time

UN High Level Meeting on NCDs* Sep 19/20 2011• NCDs: one of the leading health and development challenges of the century

• Political Declaration: “whole of government” and “whole of society” approach

Nearly 2 out of every 3 deaths in the world due to NCDs• 80% of NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries

• But, only 3% of overall global development assistance for NCDs.

Cost of Inaction > cost of action• Economic Burden of NCDs: World Economic Forum/ Harvard** : NCDs (+ mental health) have

cumulative loss of economic output = $ 47 trillion.

• Action: WHO Best Buys*** cost $11 billion per year in LMICs , roughly 1$ per person per year

Prevalence of NCDs alarmingly high• >20% of population in India**** has at least one chronic disease; >10% more than one

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) - An Urgent Issue

2© 2010 Arogya World. All Rights Reserved.

* NCDs = Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers + chronic respiratory disease**WEF/Harvard Global Economic Burden of NCDs Sep 2011; ***WEF / WHO Report – From Burden to Best Buys 2011****The Lancet series January 12, 2011



Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): An Urgent Issue

NCDs Leading Cause of Death Globally


30%

61%

9%

58 million people die each year 35 million of them due to NCDs

Infectious Diseases, + maternal & newborn conditions + nutritional deficiencies

Non-Communicable Diseases NCDs

Injuries

NCDs cause >2X the number of deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB + all maternal and childhood conditions + nutritional deficiencies COMBINED

Increase by 71% over next 10 years

Decrease by 10% over next 10 years

WHO: a healthy diet, exercise and avoiding tobacco can prevent:• 80% of premature heart disease• 80% type II diabetes• 40% of cancers

Compelling Clinical Proof Exists that Diabetes Can Be Prevented Landmark Trial - Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)

• 3,234 adults at risk for diabetes. Multiple centers in the US. 30 min of physical activity a day + low-fat diet reduced the chance of getting diabetes by 58%, while metformin reduced the chance by 31%. NEJM Feb 7, 2002.

• Follow-up of DPP in The Lancet (2009) …diabetes prevention through lifestyle changes sustained for 10 years.

Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study NEJM May 3, 2001.

Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme Diabetologia. 2006 Feb;49(2):289-97.

Prevention: The Holy Grail for Tackling NCDs



The Arogya World Approach to the NCD Crisis

Galvanize global action to address non-communicable diseases► Leverage UN NCD Summit Sep 2011► Op-ed, blog and social media campaign ► Case studies► Women and NCDs ► Women for a Healthy Future Petition► 10,000 Women “Perspectives on NCDs”

Global Survey

Implement Diabetes Prevention through Lifestyle Changes in India

► Multipronged Approach in schools, workplaces and the community

► Leverage technology and partnerships for scalable, cost-effective programs

► Science-based work ► Measure effectiveness and impact

Two-fold mission

Direct Impact - NCDs are the #1 killer of women Impact on women as caregivers Women disadvantaged in terms of prevention Integral part of Maternal and Child Health – low birth weight leads to

heart disease and diabetes later in life in the child Cooking over open fires – COPD NCDs impact next generation Sir George Alleyne video





Why We Believe NCDs are a Women’s Issue

WHO: 80% diabetes & heart disease,

40% cancers preventable with lifestyle changes.

Improving the health of women has positive ripple effects on family + community. Policymakers should educate pregnant women to have healthy pregnancies and avoid

low birth weight. Collect gender disaggregated morbidity and mortality data.

Health systems not geared to deliver optimum healthcare for women, so focusing on women can improve outcomes for all.

Invest in educating women about NCD prevention through healthy living, and they will teach their families.





Women: A Powerful Solution to the NCD Crisis

Women for a Healthy Future - started in 2011 by Arogya World +

Global Health Council, NCD Child, Women Deliver, NCD Action, Public Health Institute, The Max Foundation, Disruptive Women in Health Care, Hriday, NCD Alliance, World YWCA, Beyond Sport

Online Petition mobilizing women to demand action against NCDs from world leaders – govt + biz. Raised 4,000 signatures. Press release to mark UN HLM, distributed to media + world leaders at UN + side events.





Women for a Healthy Future Mobilizing Women in Fight Against NCDs

2012 work Continue dialog with food & beverage industry –Talking to experts. Engaging with IFBA. Global women’s perspectives on NCDs and their impact survey.

• 10,000 women; 1,000 women from each of 10 countries. US, UK, + 8 developing world countries

• Web and mobile technologies. SRBI Abt + Jana

• Currently seeking funding

• Advocacy Tool. Show what women care about, and identify NCD priorities

Future work Adapt My Plate icon to other countries Develop and distribute educational materials for women Global communications campaign





Ensuring Women’s Voices Are Heard

Back-Up

Board* Dr. Nalini Saligram – Arogya World; Dr. Pamela Yih, Treasurer – Pamela Y-F Yih Inc.; Kathryn Graves – Emory Univ Rollins School of Public Health; Dr. Meryle Melnicoff – formerly at WISTAR Institute

Indo-US Scientific Steering Committee* Based in India - Dr K. Srinath Reddy – President, Public Health Foundation of India, Dr V. Mohan – Madras Diabetes

Research Foundation, Dr Ashok K. Das – Additional Director General Health Services, Dr Prabhakaran – Centre for Chronic Disease Control, and PHFI, Dr Nikhil Tandon – All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Prasanna Kumar – Bangalore Diabetes Hospital

Based in the US - Dr K.M. Venkat Narayan – Emory University, Dr Sreekumar Nair – Mayo Clinic, Dr Francine Kaufman – Medtronic, Dr Karmeen Kulkarni – Abbott Diabetes Care, Dr Sethu Reddy – Merck, Dr. Om Ganda -Joslin

Advisors*Dr A Ramachandran - India Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai; Dr Subhankar Chowdhury-IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata; Monika Arora Hriday-Shan; C.V. Madhukar PRS Legislative Research; Deanna M. Hoelscher Michael and Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living; Dr Sudeep Singh Gadok, International Health and Development Expert; Raj Dave ARE Consulting, Dr. Arun Chockalingam World Hypertension League, Dr. David C U’Prichard Druid Consulting

Behavior Change Task Force* Based in the US - Dr. Fran Kaufman, Medtronic, Dr. Linelle Blais, Emory University, Andrea Falls, Edelman Based in the UK – Zoe Hellman, Weight Watchers Based in India – Dr. Ranjani Harish, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, Dr. Monika Arora, Hriday-Shan,

Sukanti Ghosh, APCO Worldwide, Dr. Kanav Kahol – PHFI

*all working pro-bono

+

Consultants

Thea Joselow (Washington DC – digital media expert), Dr. S Kumar (Bangalore - senior consultant India), Dr. Sandhya Ramalingam (Bangalore – market research expert), Beau Young (Philadelphia- accountant)

Arogya World Network of Influencers

Our Track Record

• Feb 2009 – Workshop with 66 stakeholders in Delhi to gather input on priorities.• World Diabetes Day 2009; 40 community walks in Delhi; 6,000 children asked Mrs Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime

Minister of India, for help in making policy changes• Formalized as US-based non-profit organization March 2010. • New Diabetes Friendly Recipe Created for Arogya World by celebrated Manhattan chef from Devi Nov 2010• Initiated Schools diabetes education program in India 2011; completed year 1 program, encouraging results• Clinton Global Initiative Commitment 2011 – 1 million consumers diabetes mHealth campaign in India; 30,000

consumers received messages through March 2012. • Healthy Workplace Stakeholder Input Session in India Bangalore, Feb 24, 2012 • Women for a Healthy Future – 2011 petition;

Mobilizing Women in the Fight Against NCDs

Health & Medicine

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