More than 40 leading public health organisations and individuals* are urging the Australian Government to use its influence to push for an ambitious global response to address growing rates of chronic, often preventable diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and poor mental health, at the first United Nations meeting to be held on the issue in seven years.

In a joint letter, The George Institute for Global Health, McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, and 42 others are calling on the Australian Government to:

** Strengthen the NCD response in Australia ** via dedicated funding to implement chronic disease strategies such as the National Preventive Health Strategy, include chronic disease in the remit of the Australian Centre for Disease Control, and enhance its partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, NGOs, health consumer groups and community groups.

** Invest in systems that improve health in our region ** by directing more development assistance to NCDs through DFAT’s Partnerships for a Healthy Region program. Investments should integrate NCDs and mental health into regional and local programs addressing climate change, food security, health equity, trade, and gender equality.

** Continue to show global leadership on NCDs and mental health **, by committing to strong targets and implementing effective actions on them, including implementing taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Follow the attached to read the full call to action.

Read the media release: https://www.georgeinstitute.org/news-and-media/news/un-high-level-meeti…

* Signatories Include: Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Alcohol Change Australia, Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity, Australian Association of Medical Research Institutes, Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA), Australian Council on Smoking and Health, Australian Health Promotion Association, Australian Global Health Alliance, Black Dog Institute, Breast Cancer Network Australia, CLAN Child Health, Cancer Council Australia, Cancer Council Victoria, Cancer Council Queensland, Emerge Australia, Food for Health Alliance, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE) at Deakin University, Heart Foundation, Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, Lung Foundation, McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, Movember, Oral Health Association of Australia, Neurological Alliance of Australia, Prevention Partnership Centre at Sax Institute, Prevention United, Public Health Association of Australia, Quit, Stroke Foundation, Tobacco Free Portfolios, UNSW Sydney, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development at the University of Technology Sydney, and Victor Chang Institute.