On Sept. 19-20, the United Nations held a big meeting that could affect the future of global health. We have several related news items:
* Two UW physicians -- David Watkins and Jim Logerfo wrote an opinion piece in the Seattle Times on the rise of NCDs. "The chronic-disease pandemic will be the "face" of global health in the coming decades...Seattle can play a leading role in the fight against premature death and disability from chronic diseases."
* UW physician Wendy Johnson in her guest blog on Humanosphere, "Global health needs to focus on health, not disease," discusses the massive impact budget cuts will have on global health and the future of primary care and likens the discussion now at the UN to moving chairs on the Titanic.
* Rachel Nugent, a senior research scientist in the Department of Global Health and Director of the Disease Control Priorities Network, wrote a report breaking ground on the linkages between agriculture and chronic disease. The publication, Bringing Agriculture to the Table: How Agriculture and Food Can Play a Role in Preventing Chronic Disease, which will be presented before the opening of the UN High-level meeting on Noncommunicable Disease, identifies new opportunities for those in heath and agriculture to work together to promote better health.
* And Tom Paulson with Humanosphere offers up five key reasons — "whether explicitly or implicitly — for paying attention to this meeting with the bad name."