January 27, 2005
For Immediate Release

News Release

WHO and Canada to Cooperate in Combatting Chronic Diseases such as Cancer, Heart Disease and Diabetes

Davos / Ottawa - The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Lee Jong-wook, and the Federal Minister of Health for Canada, the Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, have today signed the Framework for Cooperation on Chronic Diseases Agreement at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"Canada is pleased to strengthen its work with the WHO on chronic disease prevention," said Minister Dosanjh. "The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is already providing strategic leadership in developing integrated policies for the prevention and control of chronic diseases in Canada, and, through its WHO Collaborating Centre, the Agency is working to advance the global chronic disease prevention agenda."

The Framework for Cooperation marks a new stage of collaboration between the WHO, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada to jointly confront the epidemic of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.

The Framework will lead to improved approaches to preventing and controlling chronic diseases globally and in Canada, and the development of policies and strategies to address them. These will include, in particular, implementation of WHO's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, as well as the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Canada also pledges to strengthen its engagement in the international response to these diseases. The Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy is in line with the recommendations of WHO's Global Strategy on Diet Physical Activity and Health in addressing common risk factors for chronic diseases and their underlying conditions in society.

"WHO is pleased and encouraged that Canada has identified chronic disease prevention and control as a global effort and is taking a leading role," says WHO Director-General, Dr. Lee, "This Framework provides an opportunity for the rest of the world to learn and benefit from Canada's knowledge and experience in this field, such as the Canadian Healthy Living Strategy and cancer control."

Chronic diseases currently represent 60% of all deaths, mostly in developing countries, and 47% of the global burden of disease. WHO predicts these figures will rise to 73% and 60% respectively by the year 2020.

As a result, WHO has made this issue a high priority. To that end, WHO strongly advocates adoption and implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, both of which owe much to the ongoing support of the government of Canada. WHO is also developing a Global Report on chronic diseases for release in November 2005. This report will provide a comprehensive review of the burden of chronic diseases and effective preventive measures to control them.

Fact sheets on chronic illness, heart disease, cancer and diabetes can be obtained at: http://www.who.int. More information on the Government of Canada's role in prevention chronic disease can be found at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/media/nr-rp/2004/who_2004bk_e.html

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Media Inquiries:

Government of Canada

Aggie Adamczyk
Public Health Agency of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
(613) 941-8189

Adèle Blanchard
Office of the Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

WHO

Jane McElligott, +41 22 791 3353