Abstract
Background: In October 2012, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) developed a Regional Framework for Action to implement multisectoral action plans (MAPs) for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Objectives: The aim of this project was to draw on the experiences of four EMR countries that had made good progress in developing these MAPs, to identify best practice and barriers in the development of them. Methods: Structured interviews were held with key stakeholders in the development of the MAPs from the four focal EMR countries: Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, and Yemen. These interviews comprised two stages: first we conducted face-to-face interviews in September 2014; we then carried out follow-up teleconference interviews during October 2014. Thematic analysis of transcripts was used to identify several themes, including examples of best practices and challenges that were common to all four focal countries and are likely to be also relevant to many other countries in the development of MAPs. Results: Best practice in the development of MAPs includes methods to identify and recruit key sectors, ways to foster collaboration between sectors in the development and implementation of the action plan and means through which to encourage public support. Challenges identified included measuring outcomes in evaluating MAP success, current pressures and competing priorities for sectors and the perception of health issues as the responsibility of the health sector. Cultural and bureaucratic challenges were also discussed along with multisectoral fatigue, through the promotion of multisectoral approaches for a number of national issues. Conclusions: Although the development of multisectoral action plans to tackle NCDs is recommended, the process is a challenging one. Reflections from those countries which have experience in developing such action plans is important in identifying common challenges as well as recommending best practice, such that other countries may learn from their experiences.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1532632 |
| Journal | Global Health Action |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 13 Nov 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Funding
aWorld Health Organization European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Noncommunicable Disease Office, Moscow, Russian Federation; bCentre on Population Approaches for NCD Prevention, Nuffield Department of Population Health (NDPH), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; cCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; dDepartment of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO), Cairo, Egypt; eNon communicable Diseases Division, Epidemiology and control Diseases Directorate, Ministry of Health, Rabat, Morocco; fNon communicable Disease Division, Primary Health Care Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan; gDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; hWorld Health Organization Liaison Office for Somalia, Somalia WHO Country Office, Nairobi, Kenya; iDepartment for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK This work was supported by the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean [APW 2014/448342-0]. The authors did not enter into an agreement with the funder that may have limited their ability to complete the research as planned. The authors collected and had full control of all primary data. This piece of work was funded by WHO EMRO, the authors did not enter into an agreement with the funder that may have limited their ability to complete the research as planned. The authors collected and had full control of all primary data.
Keywords
- Multisectoral
- noncommunicable disease
- policy
- prevention
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Policy
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
