National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases.

This National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at reducing the rates of morbidity and premature mortality due to chronic non-communicable diseases to create A society free of preventable non-communicable diseases in which all members of the community have access to high quality care to increase life expectancy, as per the Vision of the Strategy, through a multi-sectoral and multilevel response to control these diseases and their risk factors. The scope of the Action Plan includes the main chronic non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. The risk factors concern several health patterns such as: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and overweight/obesity. The Plan also includes avoidable causes of blindness and low vision, as well as other similar non-communicable diseases. The Plan identifies the following two priority intervention areas (i) reduction of the economic burden of non-communicable diseases; and (ii) reorientation and strengthening of the health system. The 6 six main goals of the Action Plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases are as follows (1) increased attention to non-communicable disease in developmental plans at the national level and to make prevention and control of NCDs part of the strategies in all government sectors; (2) implementation of national policies and plans for the prevention and control of NCDs; (3) enhancement of interventions to reduce the main common risk factors for NCDs including: tobacco use, unhealthy food, physical inactivity; (4) support to research on prevention and control of NCDs; (5) strengthened partnerships for prevention and control of NCDs; (6) monitor on NCDs and their determinants and progress assessment at the national level.
The implementation of the national Strategy to promote diet, physical activity and health provides the following (i) preparation of national guidelines for nutrition and for physical activity; (ii) strengthening the skills of staff in primary health care centers to provide advice on diet and physical activity; (iii) strengthening partnership with civil society and non-governmental organizations to activate community awareness; (iv) preparing a national policy for physical activity in schools in accordance with national guidelines; (v) prepare nutritional specifications for foods served in the schools according to national guidelines; (vi) inclusion of anthropometric measurements in school surveys; (vii) implementation of the early detection and primary care project for obesity among school students; (viii) finding a mechanism to determine the marketing of food products with high levels of saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, monosaccharides and salt to children; (ix) inclusion of early detection and treatment of obesity in primary care for non-communicable diseases; (x) providing healthy food options in the workplace; (xi) supporting the provision of sports equipment and supplies.