Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GACD3 (Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases Secretariat)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-07-01 bis 2023-12-31
The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases GACD is the only alliance of international research funding agencies that specifically seek to address the growing burden of chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and -middle-income countries (LMICs) and in vulnerable populations in high-income countries (HICs).
NCDs kill 41 million people each year, with over three quarters of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The major categories of non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases (including high blood pressure), cancer, lung diseases, diabetes, and mental health conditions. People of all age groups, regions and countries are affected by NCDs. These conditions are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that more than 15 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur between the ages of 30 and 69 years. Of these "premature" deaths, 85% are estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries. The burden of NCDs continues to grow significantly, driven by rapidly changing forces in society that include rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles and population ageing.
GACD’s mission is to reduce the burden of chronic NCDs in LMICs and in populations facing conditions of vulnerability in high-income countries, by building evidence to inform national and international NCD policies and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals under section 3.42.
As an alliance, the funding agencies within GACD have agreed objectives as set our in the GACD Strategic Plan 2019-2024, namely to :-
• Invest in impactful NCD research;
• Build implementation science capacity and capability in relation to NCDs;
• Facilitate collaborations and partnerships to support GACD investment and impact.
A dedicated GACD staff team (secretariat) work to co-ordinate, support and deliver on these strategic objectives and facilitate maximum impact from GACD activities.
NCDs kill 41 million people each year, with over three quarters of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The major categories of non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases (including high blood pressure), cancer, lung diseases, diabetes, and mental health conditions. People of all age groups, regions and countries are affected by NCDs. These conditions are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that more than 15 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur between the ages of 30 and 69 years. Of these "premature" deaths, 85% are estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries. The burden of NCDs continues to grow significantly, driven by rapidly changing forces in society that include rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles and population ageing.
GACD’s mission is to reduce the burden of chronic NCDs in LMICs and in populations facing conditions of vulnerability in high-income countries, by building evidence to inform national and international NCD policies and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals under section 3.42.
As an alliance, the funding agencies within GACD have agreed objectives as set our in the GACD Strategic Plan 2019-2024, namely to :-
• Invest in impactful NCD research;
• Build implementation science capacity and capability in relation to NCDs;
• Facilitate collaborations and partnerships to support GACD investment and impact.
A dedicated GACD staff team (secretariat) work to co-ordinate, support and deliver on these strategic objectives and facilitate maximum impact from GACD activities.
Delivering on its ambition to support high quality implementation research, during 2022 GACD coordinated a joint call for proposals for implementation research studies that take a lifecourse approach to NCD risk prevention. The projects funded by this joint call aim to identify the best implemenation strategies to prevent and reduce common NCD risk factors across critical life stages, contributing towards a healthier future. In November 2022 GACD launched its 8th joint call for research around Implementation research for NCD Prevention in Cities, this call has completed the peer review assessment phase and is awaiting award outcomes. In November 2023 GACD launched its 9th joint call for research around Implementation research for management of multiple long term conditions. This call is currently open to applications.
In working to build research capacity for implementation science in LMICS, GACD has delivered two of its annual training events for early career investigators to date. The Implementation Science Schools in 2022 and 2023 were held virtually. The GACD Implementation Science School is an intensive programme for early-career researchers, facilitated by some of the field’s most prominent global experts. Through lectures, small group sessions, facilitated group work, and panel discussions, trainees learn how to study and implement research findings into policy and practice, select and apply theories, models, and frameworks, and create a professional network for future collaborations. A core learning platform the GACD e-Hub supports the delivery of lectures remotely and a dedicated Faculty work with the trainees in plenary and live group sessions during the ISS.
In addition a half-day technical workshop: on case study in implementation research was supported and attended by 48 participants . The majority (62.5%) identified as female and 37.5% identified as male. Attendees work at institutions from 21 countries and represent 24 nationalities, spread across five WHO Regions and four World Bank national income level categories. In September 2023, GACD hosted an upskilling webinar on digital skills and creating videos, focusing on scientific and health content.
GACD has hosted two annual workshops, the first in 2022 on 'Planetary Health and NCDs' and the second in 2023 on 'Context' In each year (22 and 23) we have hosted a Research Programme workshop: drawing projects from our ongoing research programmes together to share their science through presentation and discussion. These events are held virtually as a knowledge sharing satellite of the GACD Annual Scientific Meeting.
The GACD Annual Scientific Meeting a key yearly networking and knowledge sharing event was held in person in London 6-8 December 2022 and in Singapore 12-14th November 2023. Both meeting attracted strong participation from our GACD Research Network and featured invited guest speakers and a dynamic programme of interactive sessions.
In working to build research capacity for implementation science in LMICS, GACD has delivered two of its annual training events for early career investigators to date. The Implementation Science Schools in 2022 and 2023 were held virtually. The GACD Implementation Science School is an intensive programme for early-career researchers, facilitated by some of the field’s most prominent global experts. Through lectures, small group sessions, facilitated group work, and panel discussions, trainees learn how to study and implement research findings into policy and practice, select and apply theories, models, and frameworks, and create a professional network for future collaborations. A core learning platform the GACD e-Hub supports the delivery of lectures remotely and a dedicated Faculty work with the trainees in plenary and live group sessions during the ISS.
In addition a half-day technical workshop: on case study in implementation research was supported and attended by 48 participants . The majority (62.5%) identified as female and 37.5% identified as male. Attendees work at institutions from 21 countries and represent 24 nationalities, spread across five WHO Regions and four World Bank national income level categories. In September 2023, GACD hosted an upskilling webinar on digital skills and creating videos, focusing on scientific and health content.
GACD has hosted two annual workshops, the first in 2022 on 'Planetary Health and NCDs' and the second in 2023 on 'Context' In each year (22 and 23) we have hosted a Research Programme workshop: drawing projects from our ongoing research programmes together to share their science through presentation and discussion. These events are held virtually as a knowledge sharing satellite of the GACD Annual Scientific Meeting.
The GACD Annual Scientific Meeting a key yearly networking and knowledge sharing event was held in person in London 6-8 December 2022 and in Singapore 12-14th November 2023. Both meeting attracted strong participation from our GACD Research Network and featured invited guest speakers and a dynamic programme of interactive sessions.
In May 2023 GACD announced that its Associate Members in partnership with the Research Council of Norway have pledged over US$60 million to fund 27 new projects within the Lifecourse approach to prevention of NCDs aimed at addressing common risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and disadvantaged populations in high-income countries (HICs). New projects may continue to add to this programme. The projects funded by this joint call aim to use implementation research to identify the best strategies to prevent and reduce common NCD risk factors across critical life stages, contributing towards a healthier future.
Since the start of this grant GACD have supported 75 early career researchers in the fundamentals of implementation science for NCDs in our Implementation Science Schools and supported many other international investigators in building their capabilities to undertake innovative high quality research
Since the start of this grant GACD have supported 75 early career researchers in the fundamentals of implementation science for NCDs in our Implementation Science Schools and supported many other international investigators in building their capabilities to undertake innovative high quality research