Edinburgh Global Health Academy Symposium

This symposium will explore ways in which Scotland can contribute to tackling the key determinants and drivers of these diseases - obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, poor diets, physical inactivity and social deprivation.

31st March 2011

Morning Session: 9.30am-1.00pm

How can Scotland (NHS, local and national government, voluntary organisations, business, faith communities and universities) contribute to the UN High Level Summit on Non Communicable Diseases to be held this September?

Keynote address: Global Challenges, Global Responses to the NCD Pandemic

Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director General, Non-communicable disease, World Health Organisation

Welcome and Introductions

Prof Sue Welburn and Dr Liz grant, University of Edinburgh Global Health Academy

The Scottish Smoking Ban

Dr Laurence Gruer, Director of Public Health Sciences, NHS Health Scotland, and Mrs Mary Cuthbert, Scottish Government Health Directorate

Living with a long-term condition in Scotland

Mr Ian Welsh, Long Term Conditions Alliance, Scotland

Hope and hopelessness

Mr Murray Watts, Playwright and Screen Writer

Panel Discussion: Approaching NCDs in new ways

Chair: Dr Richard Smith, Director of the United Health Chronic Disease Initiative. The speakers will be joined by Professor David Weller, University of Edinburgh

Afternoon Session: 2.00pm-4.30pm

Putting Ideas into Action - Poster display and discussion session chaired by Dr Richard Smith

• A series of 5-minute presentation slots focussing on grassroots and innovative solutions to NCDs, both in Scotland and around the world. The afternoon session will conclude with a panel discussion drawing out the key issues highlighted by participants.

Non-communicable diseases, (NCDs) or chronic diseases such as cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and mental illnesses account for 60% of all deaths globally, 80% of which are in low- and middle-income countries. These diseases are crippling families and spiraling people into cycles of poverty. We know what causes them and we know that they are, in the main, preventable, but still the numbers of people living with these diseases increases year on year. In September this year a special United Nations Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases will be held to address how these diseases can be prevented and controlled. The hope for the Summit, notes the NCD Alliance, is that it "will raise the profile of these diseases on the global stage, mobilize the international community to take action, secure the commitment of Heads of State to lead the cross-government effort necessary to reverse the epidemic, and send a clear message to donors and funders".

If you are a researcher, student, charity, health or local government worker involved in combatting the causes and consequences of NCDs, either in Scotland or elsewhere, we want to hear from you.

To book your FREE place, reserve a poster slot, stall or afternoon presentation slot, please contact Jan Bunyan:

• Venue: Teviot Students' Union Grand Debating Hall

For further information about this conference please contact Dr Liz Grant or Dr Ruth McQuillan: