Country Capacity and Accomplishments and Application of the Policy Options Framework(cont...)

Introduction

This chapter presents, for each country, key policy options and strategic actions for NCDs (Table 6.1 and Appendix 1; more detailed information of key accomplishments and a situational analysis for each country are included in Appendix 5.)21 The options and actions adopt the program management cycle of the policy options framework (Assess, Plan, Develop and Implement, Evaluate) developed in Chapter 5.

As noted, the aim is to be strategic rather than comprehensive. In applying the policy options framework, it is evident that some areas show progress, and some, gaps. In the Assess stage, surveillance and burden assessments are receiving generally low levels of efforts and

no country is doing reviews of the evidence base. In the Plan stage, efforts are more mixed.

Some countries have NCD cells and national overarching policies but only one has national targets. Given the large and growing NCD burden, it is important for all countries to have a focal point for NCDs that can interact with country stakeholders and international agencies. Because NCDs are influenced by many different factors, many different components of government and the economy will need to be involved:

education, agriculture, food processing, rural development, urban planning, transportation, commerce, environment, and communications. As a result, it is important to have a wide range of expertise and scope.