24 May, GAPA chair Sally Casswell speaks at a side event during the 71st World Health Assembly: “FROM BURDEN TO SOLUTION; Ending TB, beating NCDs and achieving Health for All through Alcohol Policy Best Buys Implementation” hosted by Permanent Missions of Botswana, Estonia, Guyana, Slovenia and Thailand together with IOGT International.
27 September GAPA joins over 300 organisations and experts calling on world leaders to seize the ‘do or die’ moment of the third UN High-Level Meeting to address NCDs to go above and beyond the vague and unambitious commitments contained in the Political Declaration adopted in New York on 27th September 2018. Part of the statements says: “The absence of strong language on implementing the Best Buys, which focus on taxation, regulation and legislation, is a glaring omission from the document. This reflects interference and undue influence of health-harmful industries over a few countries who were prepared to shamelessly block progress for all. We are deeply disappointed that too few countries were prepared to stand up and show real leadership to put the health and wellbeing of their people ahead of the short-term and short-sighted economic interests of the few.” – Read the joint statement here
28 September, GAPA involved in the side event “Alcohol, NCDs and Sustainable Development – Where do we stand and where do we go?” held in the United Nations Headquarters in New York in connection with the UN High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases. At the side event a new WHO-led global initiative was launched – SAFER – aiming to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The side event was organised by World Health Organization, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Estonia, Thailand, Suriname, Sweden, Philippines and IOGT International.
