JACARDI news

The Joint Action on Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes (JACARDI) held a General Assembly from October 16 until 18 2024, almost one year after the joint action’s kick off in Rome. This significant event took place at Santé Publique France and Comet Bourse in Paris, bringing together key stakeholders from across Europe to advance collaborative efforts in combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The General Assembly on October 16 featured a plenary session with welcoming addresses from Caroline Semaille, Director of Santé publique France, and Christine Jacob-Schumacher from the Ministry of Health, France. Attendees reflected on the first year of JACARDI activities, were provided with updates on EU policies addressing NCDs, and gained insights from key speakers including Stefan Craenen of DG Santé and Maria Vasile from HaDEA.

The agenda covered various work packages (WPs) addressing crucial themes, including a methodological framework for an integrative approach, sustainability strategies, communication and dissemination efforts, and evaluation methodologies. Notably, one session explored synergies and collaboration between JACARDI and the JA PreventNCD initiative. An engaging talk-show also provided an opportunity for WP leaders, including our colleague Prof. Edwin Wouters, to present their findings, followed by a session featuring voices from pilot projects.

Pilot projects in the spotlight

On October 17 and 18, dedicated side events delved into specific work packages, where the University of Antwerp particularly focuses on screening and integrated care pathways. These sessions were designed to facilitate in-depth discussions and promote actionable insights to enhance health outcomes across Europe. To support the different pilot project leaders, the interactive sessions worked in detail on the implementation and evaluation of the pilot projects.

From the 27th of May to the 3rd of June, Katrien, Monika and Fanny from the University of Antwerp met with colleagues from GOKVI (György Gottsegen Institute of Cardiology) in Budapest.

The focus of this week was to advance in the coordination of pilot projects under work package 9, which prioritizes integrated, person-centered care pathways for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. We made significant progress on the development of implementation and evaluation plans, pathway mapping, and the organization of upcoming tasks. We also planned future publications and brainstormed on potential future project collaborations. Furthermore, our team came together to deliver a learning session for the 29 JACARDI pilots within work package 9, sharing insights from previous projects and getting hands-on learning experiences through interactive workshops.

Amidst all this progress, the highlight of this week-long meeting remained the highly productive in-person discussions, which fostered a dynamic collaboration. The face-to-face interactions lead to fruitful brainstorming sessions and a strong sense of teamwork.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our Hungarian partners for their warm hospitality and exceptional collaboration and look forward to welcoming them in Antwerp in the near future. We would also like to express our gratitude for FWO’s support of the travel grant.

From now on, there is also an official European JACARDI website: https://jacardi.eu/.

Here, you can find more information about the objectives, international partners, and various work packages that are part of JACARDI.

From November 27th to 29th, 2023, the official launch event of JACARDI took place in Rome.

All coordinators, work package leaders, and pilot implementers got to know each other and exchanged ideas. A total of 76 organizations from 21 European countries participated. Belgium was represented by the University of Antwerp, Sciensano, Diabetes Liga, and KU Leuven.

Over the next 4 years, 142 pilot projects will be developed, implemented, and evaluated. Additionally, roadmaps for sustainable implementation and scaling up will be developed.