Forbes: How Mike Bloomberg’s WHO Reappointment Helps Fight Against World’s Biggest Killers
Bruce Y. Lee, associate professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center, and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

“…Mike Bloomberg’s reappointment as the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Ambassador for [Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)] and Injuries is important. The former New York City Mayor has held the position for the past two years and has been trying to bring more attention to NCDs. … Besides moving slowly but in the wrong direction, NCDs are systems problems, the result of broken social, food, environmental, economic, and other systems. In other words, what you eat, what you drink, how much physical activity you get, whether you smoke, and what you get exposed to depends heavily on what is available and around you. … Fixing systems requires coordinated efforts and political will. Thus it helps to have a high-profile person like Bloomberg to help bring more attention and fight the fight. … Addressing NCDs has been a priority for Bloomberg Philanthropies, the foundation that he launched in 2006. … Bloomberg’s position as WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs and Injuries has gone way beyond being ‘purely honorary.’ He has been an important champion, bringing more awareness and action in the world’s fight against its biggest killers” (10/5).