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29.10.2025
Inside WHO Europe’s NCD Prevention Team: A Conversation with Aleksandra Olsen
Following the joint workshop “Communicating for Impact: Changing Health Narratives Together” held in UN City, Copenhagen, we sat down with Aleksandra Olsen, Communications Officer at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, to learn more about the organization’s work on noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and the crucial role of communication in driving change. From reframing health narratives to addressing misinformation, Aleksandra shares insights from WHO Europe’s ongoing efforts to improve public health through better communication. Let’s start with the recent event in Copenhagen. It was such an energizing two days with colleagues from WHO, JACARDI, and JA PreventNCD. What stood out to you most about the workshop — and what do you hope participants took away from it? It was so energizing to come together in person as communications professionals, learning from each other’s experiences, sharing case studies, and brainstorming around how to plan, frame and measure impact. What stood out most to me was the diversity of perspectives and the creativity in the room. Communications, especially in small teams, can sometimes feel isolating, like we’re experimenting in the dark. I hope participants left feeling part of a bigger community, knowing that we are stronger when we co-create and ground our work in evidence-based public health communication. WHO Europe’s NCD team works across a vast region with many countries and contexts. Can you tell us what the team is focusing on right now when it comes to NCD prevention? What are the key priorities for the months ahead? WHO/Europe has recently restructured to form a new Division of Prevention and Health Promotion, led by Dr Gundo Weiler, whom participants also met at the workshop. One of our key priorities is tackling behavioural and environmental risk factors for NCDs: tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and air pollution. Our focus is on supporting countries to adopt effective, evidence-based policies and improve public health literacy. Like JA Prevent NCD and JACARDI, we’re also looking closely at how to best reach different audiences, whether youth, older adults, or policymakers, because one size never fits all. Our goal is to help Member States strengthen prevention based on their unique contexts and needs. Communication plays a central role in prevention. How does your team approach communication around NCDs — both in terms of reaching policymakers and engaging the public? It’s become clear how much language and framing matter. Even the term “NCD” is not widely understood outside expert circles. But using simpler words like “lifestyle choices” can also mislead, because it shifts focus to individuals and away from the powerful social, commercial and environmental determinants of health. So, careful framing is key. Beyond messages, our approach is iterative: we listen, test, adapt, and test again. Evidence-based communication requires curiosity and feedback loops. We’re also working closely with our colleagues on Behavioural and Cultural Insights in Health, who bring valuable tools to help ensure our messages resonate and reach the audiences they’re meant for. You mentioned during the event the importance of narratives. How do you see storytelling and framing influencing how people think about NCDs and prevention more broadly? Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have, especially when it’s backed by data. Numbers alone rarely move people, and policymakers are people too. Stories, on the other hand, create empathy and connection. They help us see how structural issues and commercial influences shape health behaviours. Take alcohol, for instance. It’s often seen as part of everyday life, but stories from real people help reveal its hidden harms. One storyteller, Yolanda, spoke about targeted marketing to LGBTQ+ communities and how it exploits identity for profit. Another, Tetiana, shared how she realized during COVID-19 that her drinking was not “normal”, a realization many can relate to. These stories make the data come alive and help shift public perception from blame to understanding. Working across so many countries must come with unique challenges. What are some of the biggest communication challenges you and your team face when working at the regional level? We work across 53 very diverse countries, socially, politically and culturally. That diversity is both a challenge and a strength. Communicating across such contexts means navigating different media landscapes, sensitivities and capacities. One key challenge is ensuring timely, accurate and coordinated messaging during health emergencies. Another is addressing topics that may be politically or culturally sensitive, which makes clear, evidence-based communication even more important. These are also the moments when communications can have the most impact and meaning. Collaboration is a recurring theme in public health. How do joint actions like JA PreventNCD and JACARDI help strengthen WHO’s work and impact in NCD prevention? Joint Actions like JA Prevent NCD and JACARDI bring together national experts, researchers and communicators, creating strong networks that drive progress from the ground up. They help translate evidence into action and raise the political visibility of public health issues. Collaboration is really at the heart of impact. By learning from each other’s experiences, aligning efforts and amplifying good practices, we can accelerate change and make prevention more effective across Europe. Looking ahead, what do you think is the next big step or opportunity in communicating NCD prevention effectively in Europe? The next big step is to make prevention more visible, relatable and actionable. We need to move from technical language to compelling, human-centered storytelling that connects with everyday life. Digital platforms give us incredible opportunities to reach new audiences, especially youth, but only if we do it with authenticity and creativity. I also see a huge opportunity in bridging behavioural insights with strategic communications, understanding what drives people’s decisions and designing messages that empower rather than overwhelm. The ultimate goal is to make prevention feel possible and worth caring about. And finally, on a more personal note, what motivates you most about working in this field? What motivates me is seeing that communication really can change things, not overnight, but over time. When I see a policymaker rethink an assumption because of a story we told, or when a young person says a message made them question a harmful norm, that’s impact. Public health communication is about connecting science with people’s lived realities. It’s about trust, empathy and imagination. I can’t think of a more meaningful space to work in. As Aleksandra points out, effective communication is not just about delivering information — it’s about connection, trust, and shared purpose. Through collaboration across initiatives like JA PreventNCD, JACARDI, and WHO Europe, public health communication in the region continues to evolve toward greater impact and engagement. The JA PreventNCD team thanks Aleksandra for her time, insights, and inspiring collaboration.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/events/inside-who-europe-s-ncd-prevention-team-a-conversation-with-aleksandra-olsen/
14.10.2025
Communicating for Impact: JA PreventNCD, JACARDI and WHO Join Forces to Strengthen Health Communication in Europe
It was two inspiring days in UN City, Copenhagen, where communication teams from JA PreventNCD, JACARDI, and WHO/Europe came together with a shared mission — to be big, bold, and brave in how we communicate health. With energy, optimism, and creativity, the teams explored how to strengthen trust, reframe narratives, and drive real change in the prevention of non-communicable diseases. The discussions reminded us that while our task is complex, the power of clear, positive, and collaborative communication can make a lasting difference to people’s health and wellbeing across Europe. Over the course of the two-day programme, JA PreventNCD, JACARDI, and the WHO Regional Office for Europe co-hosted two major events at UN City: From Strategy to Action: Strengthening Communication for NCD Prevention on 9 October and Communicating for Impact: Changing Health Narratives Together on 10 October. Each session gathered communicators, policymakers, and researchers to exchange insights and practical experiences, exploring how strategic storytelling, audience engagement, and trust-building can amplify the impact of public health communication and help reframe the conversation around NCD prevention across Europe.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/events/communicating-for-impact-ja-preventncd-jacardi-and-who-join-forces-to-strengthen-health-communication-in-europe/
06.10.2025
What is the role of health taxes in NCD prevention?
Health taxes are increasingly recognized as powerful tools designed to promote healthier lifestyles. By targeting products known to harm health, these taxes have the potential of changing consumer behaviour toward healthier choices. Furthermore, an opportunity for reinvestment arises for government by using the revenues for effective health prevention measures. JA PreventNCD hosted recently a webinar exploring the role of health taxation in NCD prevention. During the webinar we got a closer look on what these taxes are, and what they are not, through a historic overview. The widespread of health taxes was shown by the identification of several segments where health taxation applies, including tobacco, alcohol, sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and unhealthy foods such as High Fat Sugar and Salt-products (HFSS). Experts presented compelling evidence of the effectiveness of health taxes, while also addressing potential challenges. During this session Professor Franco Sassi, from the Imperial College, a leading economist in health policy, provided a comprehensive introduction to health taxes and their role in NCD prevention. Professor Sassi is leading the work on Health Taxation in JA PreventNCDs as a subcontractor. Michele Cecchini, responsible for the OECD programme of work on Public Health, highlighted financial and economic aspects of Health and economic deviance of health taxes. Oliver Gainford, from the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), at the European Commission shared insights into European tax policy in the European member states. The webinar was moderated by Arnfinn Helleve from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, who leads of Work Package on Regulation and Taxation in JA PreventNCD. This session is highly relevant for professionals working in public health, NCD prevention and policymaking. A full recording of the webinar is available here.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/what-is-the-role-of-health-taxes-in-ncd-prevention/
15.09.2025
Statement from JA PreventNCD on the Call for Evidence to the EU cardiovascular health plan
This statement and recommendations from the The Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) respond to the Call for Evidence−Ares(2025)6517618 for the Initiative EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan). JA PreventNCD is funded under the EU4Health programme and brings together 25 European countries with the common goal of reducing the burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), focusing on both personal and societal risk factors. The project addresses health determinants through approaches ranging from policy interventions requiring cross-country and intersectoral collaboration to be effective, through national and local interventions promoting healthy living environments, to preventive care and risk detection, including personalized prevention. Reducing gender-related, socio-economic and geographical inequalities in health is a key priority. All measures aim to protect health equity of European citizens. Furthermore, to strengthen Member States’ abilities to respond to public health challenges, it is essential to have improved data and comprehensive monitoring systems, which include monitoring health inequalities such as those found in the European Cancer Inequalities Registry. To ensure population-level impact, JA PreventNCD was designed to address structural drivers at the population level in addition to targeting high-risk individuals. While interventions across the prevention spectrum are needed, interventions targeting individuals at risk tend to require more personal buy-in, with demands on cognitive and social resources. They therefore run the risk of widening inequalities. To improve health at a population level, it is vital that activities reduce, and with certainty do not increase, health inequalities. A health equity tool is therefore applied across interventions in JA PreventNCD to support the planning, implementation and evaluation of the project’s activities. JA PreventNCD is a unique EU investment in health promotion, NCD prevention and better equity outcomes across Europe, generating deliverables directly relevant for the CVD Plan: monitoring tools, tested best practices, policy recommendations and governance mechanisms. JA PreventNCD recommends that the interventions and initiatives below be included in the EU CVH Plan. These will contribute to lifelong prevention of CVDs and, in many cases, they will also reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity. The activities are evidence-based and supported by the Member States in the Consortium. This statement and recommendations build on inputs received from all work packages in JA PreventNCD. The recommended interventions are structured under three main areas: Early years health promotion and CVD prevention Reaching all by implementing population-level interventions Reaching individuals at risk and supporting personalized prevention
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/policy-statements-recommendations/statement-from-ja-preventncd-on-the-call-for-evidence-to-the-eu-cardiovascular-health-plan/
01.07.2025
From evidence to impact: a united call for equity-driven and sustainable action on NCDs
JACARDI, JA PreventNCD, WHO Europe, OECD and the European Commission’s DG SANTE have published a joint Comment in The Lancet Regional Health, based on the findings of the newly published report ‘Avoidable mortality, risk factors and policies for tackling NCDs: leveraging data for impact’, by WHO Europe. The Comment underscores the critical role of cross-national collaboration in translating WHO findings into actionable policies, with a focus on equity, data-driven solutions, and integrated care pathways. These organizations call for an accelerated, harmonised and equity-driven European agenda on non-communicable diseases.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/press-releases/from-evidence-to-impact-a-united-call-for-equity-driven-and-sustainable-action-on-ncds/
24.06.2025
Highlights from the JA PreventNCD annual meeting in Katowice, Poland
The JA PreventNCD project is gaining momentum across Europe, with several concrete outputs already taking shape. The project annual meeting took place on June 16-17 in Katowice, Poland. While priorities are shifting in today’s complex landscape, the prevention of noncommunicable diseases remains a top priority. Tackling persistent health inequalities and addressing social and commercial determinants of health in a structural way were highlighted as urgent tasks. Partners also emphasised the need to institutionalise stakeholder, youth, and population engagement, alongside strengthening monitoring systems as a basis for prioritising action. Evaluation and sustainability work is advancing steadily, ensuring the long-term impact of this collaborative effort.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/highlights-from-the-ja-preventncd-annual-meeting-in-katowice-poland/
08.05.2025
The CEIP-Framework – From Reaction to Prevention in Health in All and for Policies
This commentary highlights the critical role of Health in All Policies (HiAP), which is key to the complementary Health for All Policies strategy to enable positive outcomes across sectors and allow a broader policy integration. It discusses the impact of political determinants on the main public health risk factors related to tobacco, sugar, gambling and alcohol addressing the barriers hindering the implementation of HiAP in the example of Portugal. It highlights the need to funnel political determinants through a health equity framework to address inequalities. Inspired by the Portuguese experience, a CEIP-Framework is proposed to emphasize the need to strengthen HiAP, when a national agenda is absent. The CEIP-Framework considers comprehensive health legislation (C), enhanced reinforcement and monitoring (E), increased cross-sector collaboration (I), and public health investment (P) from Reaction to Prevention. In this commentary, the importance of strengthening HiAP by addressing four key public health challenges is discussed, by debating the impact of political determinants on health outcomes and proposing the CEIP-framework for fostering effective cross-sector collaboration in Portugal. Furthermore, this commentary gives insights related to barriers such as industry lobbying and cultural acceptance that hamper the effectiveness of health regulations targeting the key risk factors: tobacco, sugar, gambling, and alcohol and to propose a comprehensive framework for strengthening HiAP, emphasising the need for comprehensive health legislation, enhanced monitoring, increased cross-sector collaboration, and public health investment This work has been developed under the scope of WP9 Health in All Policies of the JA Prevent NCD which aims to strengthen the implementation of HiAP across various sectors and governance levels, focusing particularly on key risk factors and determinants to prevent cancer and other non-communicable diseases. Access the full commentary in The Public Health Reviews:Public Health Rev, 21 March 2025, Volume 46 - 2025 | DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2025.1608225
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/the-ceip-framework-from-reaction-to-prevention-in-health-in-all-and-for-policies/