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Chronic Disease Prevention and Control: Policy & Advocacy

Policy | Advocacy | Documentation

Policy: The CARMEN Policy Observatory is a joint initiative between PAHO and the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center on Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Policy, located within the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The observatory is a platform for the network of American countries and institutions engaged in the systematic analysis and monitoring of chronic noncommunicable disease (CNCD) policies. CARMEN is the initiative adopted by PAHO for CNCD prevention in the Americas.

The observatory's overall purpose is to provide a knowledge base and analytical support to policymakers in the Americas and potentially to countries in other regions. Its specific objectives are to:

• Support the development of effective integrated CNCD prevention policies through the systematic analysis of the processes involved in formulation, approval, and implementation of such policies.
• Strengthen multisectorial collaboration in the adoption of complementary policies that maximize CNCD prevention.
• Place CNCD prevention higher on the agenda of policymakers.

Expected Results: The CARMEN Policy Observatory will open up opportunities for training, research, and monitoring and serve as a dissemination point for best practices in policy by focusing on legislation, regulation, public policies, and international health policy.

Capacity-Building Activities with the CARMEN School: The CARMEN School is a cross-cutting initiative that offers training courses in a variety of areas. Those offered thus far for policymakers include workshops in the Eastern Caribbean and in El Salvador.

Advocacy: Health promotion and advocacy are one of the main thrusts of the policy line of action. This involves IEC campaigns (information/education/communication) to help people and health professionals become more aware of health issues. It also means raising awareness among not only the general public but policy-makers as well, as well as capacity-building and intersectorial (public, private, civil society) collaboration.

Documentation