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Governments and donors can't solve health care challenges alone
Union World Conference focuses on the need for innovative partnerships
24 October 2011 / Paris -- When the 42nd Union World Conference on Lung Health convenes in Lille, France next week, delegates from more than 100 countries will gather to discuss challenges ranging from the threat of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases to the need for more effective tobacco control and broader access to essential medicines and technologies. They will also be sharing about the myriad of innovative partnerships that will be required to meet them. The theme of the conference, "Partnerships for Scaling-Up and Care", is reflected throughout the intensive five-day scientific programme.
To be held on 26-30 October 2011 at the Lille Grand Palais, the Union World Conference is the largest annual conference that focuses in particular on these issues as they affect low- and middle-income populations and countries.
"Governments and donors alone can't solve the health care challenges facing the world today – especially as they affect the poor", says Dr Nils E Billo, Executive Director of the conference organiser, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). "Whether you look at the problem from the perspective of the global economic crisis or the greater demand for patients to have input into their care, it is evident that partnerships across the whole spectrum of stakeholders are required".
Speakers and delegates at the conference will include representatives from governments, the corporate sector, donor agencies, health programme managers, clinicians, researchers, nurses, civil society, patient organisations and community advocates. Emphasis in many sessions is on the special health care needs of marginalised populations, such as prisoners, indigenous peoples, undocumented migrants, the rural poor, women and children.
Highlights:
Wednesday, 26 October, 08:30–18:00 (Room Vauban)
"Meeting the unmet needs of women and children for TB prevention, diagnosis and care" – Symposium sponsored by the World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership
Wednesday, 26 October, 2:30–3:45 (Room Hainaut)
"Uniting against NCDs: The Union's role" – Press conference on the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases in low-income countries. Speakers on the recent UN Summit; tobacco control; the new WHO/Union TB/diabetes framework, essential medicines and technologies for NCDs; and the European launch of the Global Asthma Report 2011.
Thursday, 27 October, 17:30–19:00 (Room Vauban)
"How the private sector can contribute to the scale-up of health services" – Inaugural lecture by Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO of Vestergaard Frandsen, award-winning creators of LifeStraw, ZeroFly and PermaNet, operating under a unique Humanitarian Entrepreneurship business model.
The complete conference programme can be found at www.worldlunghealth.org
For press credentials, please write to presse@theunion.org. Onsite press registration begins at 7 am on Wednesday, 26 October.
About The Union
The mission of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is to bring innovation, expertise, solutions and support to address health challenges in low- and middle-income populations. With nearly 10,000 members and subscribers from 150countries, The Union has its headquarters in Paris and offices serving the Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and South-East Asia regions. Its scientific departments focus on tuberculosis and HIV, lung health and non-communicable diseases, tobacco control and research. Learn more at www.theunion.org