The Ifakara Health Institute participated in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) multisectoral briefing conducted in Geneva, Switzerland from June 6-7th, 2024. This briefing is part of preparations toward WHO's Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on multi sectoral and multi stakeholder actions to control and prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), scheduled for 2025.

Dr Sally Mtenga, Head of Health Systems, Impact Evaluation and Policy at Ifakara, Dr. Sally Mtenga, who also leads a multisectoral case study on NCDs in Tanzania, joined other international actors to discuss country-specific multisectoral and multistakeholder initiatives to strengthen global efforts on NCD prevention and control.

She highlighted Tanzania's progress in tackling NCDs through multisectoral collaboration. However, she stressed the importance of sustained leadership across all sectors – government, private sector, and civil society. This broad commitment is crucial for securing resources, building resilience, and enacting supportive policies to drive a lasting impact on NCDs.

Furthermore, she emphasized the need to raise awareness about multisectoral action and its framework at all levels – from national and district officials to communities and private entities. This widespread understanding is essential for effective collaboration in tackling this growing health challenge.

She also calls for a "Health in All Policies" approach, emphasizing its importance in achieving active multisectoral action on NCDs. Integrating health considerations into all policy decisions, across sectors, will create a more supportive environment for preventing and managing NCDs.

Also attending was Dr. James Kiologwe, Health Attaché at the Tanzania Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva. He highlighted the role of multisectoral efforts in addressing primary health care challenges and advancing universal health access.

The upcoming UN meeting on NCDs aims to adopt a new political declaration. This declaration will guide global NCD efforts from 2025 onwards, building on existing commitments and aiming for achievement by 2030 and 2050. It will emphasize aligning with the "5 by 5" agenda, which includes reducing air pollution and promoting mental health, as well as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

This participation serves as a platform for Ifakara's continued efforts in tackling public health challenges. Ifakara has an existing collaborative MOU with WHO, which provides a strong foundation for such collaboration to achieve even greater impact within Tanzania and globally.