Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the Kick-Off Meeting of the UN Thematic Working Group on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), 2023-2027

It is my honor to co-chair the Thematic Working Group on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), together with Permanent Secretary Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong.

Today, we kickstart the second phase of the multi-sectoral collaboration which will take us to 2027, giving us five years to significantly advance this agenda.

Let me welcome our partners from Government, Civil Society, and the UN. We can only be transformative together.

This Thematic Working Group is a unique mechanism and a global best practice, which is worthy of replication. It allows for a whole-of-government approach by aligning interests and priorities of key line ministries to addressing different aspects of prevention and control of NCDs and mental health.

Through this collaboration, the Ministry of Public Health in partnership with the Ministry of Finance were successful in taxing alcohol, tobacco, and sugar sweetened beverages, which contribute to the root causes of NCDs. Additionally, Ministry of Public Health also worked with the Ministry of Education on the Health Promoting Schools initiative in Thailand. Concurrently, the partnership with Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources resulted in the establishment of smoke-free beaches, protecting public spaces which are a global good for the country.

Similarly, the Ministries of Labor, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture and Tourism have helped generate the evidence-base for NCDs together with the UN. This is informing policies in support of promoting healthy workplace, urban planning, healthy foods, organic produce by local farmers, and banning sponsorship at public sport events by tobacco and alcohol companies.

The Thematic Working Group also needs to effectively leverage a whole of society approach by bringing civil society, health volunteers, young people, and the private sector to add value from bottom-up perspective on the NCDs.

The NCD challenge is big – claiming 400,000 lives annually, representing 74% of total mortality rate.

The biggest concerns are hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, which call for a societal change in lifestyle. This can only be achieved when all stakeholders rally around this common issue from different angles across rural and urban Thailand.

Achieving NCD targets is an SDG accelerator in the country, given the strong links with poverty, social inequities, lack of access to affordable basic services, economic growth, and climate action.

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health, UNICEF supported the draft law on marketing unhealthy food and beverages to children.

I am also very impressed by the Ministry’s initiative, together with Chiangmai University and WHO on demonstration sites to improve hypertension management in primary healthcare.

UNEP is also supporting the government by sharing global best practices on clean air legislation as Thailand develops its own clean air act.

At the local level, UNDP is providing provincial NCD health profiles to subnational governments for evidence-based decision making.

Building on our achievements is critical to maintaining momentum. This includes the inter-sectoral policy evidence base I already mentioned, investment case for NCDs, and introducing strategic taxation. The UN is committed to supporting Thailand as it continues to take this agenda forward.

Before I conclude, I would like to thank Dr. Opart and his team for their dedication and leadership towards eradicating NCDs. Thank you and I look forward to our discussion today.