Webinar: Mobilizing Youth for NCD Prevention & Control during COVID-19

According to World Health Organization, People living with or affected by major non-communicable diseases (NCD) and conditions: such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the COVID-19. Several risk factors attributable to NCDs also make people vulnerable to the virus, and obesity-related conditions seem to worsen the effect of COVID-19. Mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression may emerge, or they may worsen as a result of pandemics, and COVID-19 is no exception. Recognising that people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) appear to be worst hit by this pandemic and more susceptible to becoming severely ill with COVID–19, the Civil Society Working Group on NCDs proposes to conduct two global webinars in June, 2020 with an overall aim to Strengthen call for resilient health systems, infrastructure and health services for NCD prevention, management and control during COVID-19, in the context of Universal Health Coverage and Health-in-All Policies.

Young people are an important resource in promoting preventive messages to mitigate risks, disseminate and augment these messages in their families and peer groups and in reaching out to the community during this time of global crisis. This will reinforce messages on preventing future NCDs and to protect PLWNCDs from infections like COVID-19.