Geneva Health Forum

Geneva Health Forum 2012 A Critical Shift to Chronic Conditions: Learning From the Frontliners

Pr Louis Loutan President of the Geneva Health Forum
Dr Slim Slama Program Director

Chronic diseases are of growing importance. While non-communicable diseases currently seem to be capturing the agenda, both chronic infectious and non-infectious diseases, pose major challenges to health systems in high and low-incomes countries in stable and emergency situations. The long-term nature of many chronic conditions warrants a comprehensive and sustainable health systems response that brings together a trained workforce with appropriate skills, affordable and reliable supplies of medicines and technologies, and empowerment of patients and communities. These new realties reflect the interplay of various factors such as changing lifestyles, economic development and urbanization. The need for a multi-sectorial response has never been greater. These challenges present new opportunities for science and technology to contribute to the improvement of access to health.
This year’s theme is the result of a consultative process involving hundreds of previous participants and partners. While there have been several calls to action, aiming at raising the profile of non communicable diseases, very little has been heard from those at the frontlines. Those, who are already active all over the world in this field, dealing with both chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases.
We intend to give them a voice and keep the health debates pragmatic and grounded in action.

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