Former New York mayor and global philanthropist Michael Bloomberg yesterday was named WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Ambassador the honorary position carries a 2-year period of appointment.
Bloomberg will work in conjunction with national and local governmental and political leaders across the world. His role will be in highlighting the NCDs burden of disease and injuries. It is cited that his political term as mayor and public health achievements will help to motivate cities across the globe to tackle and address the NCDs agenda. He will hopefully align political partners at national and local level as well as donors to tackle the epidemic of NCDs.
Over the last 10 years, Michael Bloomberg has been working in conjunction of the WHO in tobacco control and injury prevention. “Michael Bloomberg is a valued partner and has a long track record of supporting WHO in the areas of tobacco control, improving data for health, road safety and drowning prevention,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “I am therefore absolutely delighted to be able to appoint him as Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases. This will enable us to strengthen our response together to the major public health challenges of NCDs and injuries.”
Bloomberg will also help to support the United Nations Sustainable Development goals though his term. The goals hoping to be attained is reducing the number of pre-mature deaths due to NCDs globally by one third by 2030.