Abstract
Successful prevention and control of the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) cannot be achieved
by the health sector alone: a wide range of organisations from multiple sectors and across government must also
be involved. This requires a new, inclusive approach to advocacy and to coordinating, convening and catalysing
action across civil society, best achieved by a broad-based network. This comment maps the experience of the
NCD Alliance (NCDA) on to Shiffman’s challenges for global health networks – framing (problem definition
and positioning), coalition-building and governance – and highlights some further areas overlooked in his
analysis.