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Health CS Sicily Kariuki appointed to UN body


Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki has been appointed to a United Nation’s commission as part of a team to advice on innovative and feasible solutions on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.

Ms Kariuki will serve as a commissioner on the World Health Organization (WHO) Independent High-level Commission on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

She will be part of a team that will advise WHO director general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus on bold and practical recommendations on how to transform new opportunities to enable countries to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4 on NCDs.

The SDG targets to reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

The high-level commission is convened to advise me on bold and, at the same time, practical recommendations on how to transform new opportunities to enable member states to accelerate progress towards the SDG.

“I have the honour to invite you to serve as a Commissioner on the World Health Organization Independent High-level Commission on Non communicable diseases. I look forward to receiving your reply at your earliest convenience,” read in part the letter by Dr Ghebreyesus addressed to Kariuki Ms dated April 6, 2018.

HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

The Health CS has also been invited to attend a meeting of the commission on Monday, May 7 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The CS will have the chance to address the plenary segment of the third high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases slated for Thursday, September 27, 2018 in New York, USA.

The meeting is organized under the auspices of the President of UN General Assembly.

The Commission established by the DG will consist of 20 eminent persons, including representatives of governments, UN agencies, NGOs, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions.

It will be co-chaired by President Tabare Vazquez of Uruguay, and Sania Nishtar, founder and President of NGO Heartfile and a former Pakistan Federal Minister who will serve as the link to the WHO director general.

Others are Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, President Sauli Niinisto of Finland and Veronika Skvortsova, Minister of Healthcare of the Russian Federation.