The urgent Need for Action on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges represent a growing global crisis, yet solutions to address them are demonstrably affordable and cost-effective. Despite this, progress is hampered by significant lobbying efforts from industries profiting from products that contribute to these health issues.Companies involved in tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods routinely attempt to obstruct, weaken, or postpone crucial public health policies, including health taxes and restrictions on marketing to children.
Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of WHO‘s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and prevention, emphasized the unacceptable nature of prioritizing commercial gain over public health, stating, “Governments must put people before profits and ensure evidence-based policy is not derailed by corporate pressure.”
the World Health Association’s ‘Best Buys’ – a collection of high-impact interventions - offer a clear path forward. These include measures like tobacco and alcohol taxation, protecting children from harmful marketing, hypertension management, and expanded cervical cancer screening. Implementing these strategies would require an average investment of just US$3 per person annually.The projected return is considerable: by 2030,full implementation could save 12 million lives,prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes,add 150 million years of healthy life,and generate over US$1 trillion in economic benefits.
A Critical Opportunity for Change
The upcoming Fourth UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on NCDs and mental health presents a pivotal moment for transformative change. A strong Political Declaration from Heads of State and Government can reaffirm commitment to existing 2030 targets and establish a long-term vision for improved global health and well-being.
Dr. Devora Kestel,Director of WHO’s Department for NCDs and Mental Health,underscored the urgency,stating,”We know what works. The time to act is now. Governments that act decisively will protect and save lives, cut costs, and unlock growth. Those that delay will pay in lost lives and weaker economies.”
WHO is urging leaders, partners, and communities to advocate for specific actions, including:
* Investing in and implementing WHO’s ‘Best Buys’, tailored to individual national contexts.
* Implementing taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
* Strengthening primary healthcare systems for prevention, early detection, and treatment.
* Protecting children from exposure to harmful marketing practices.
* Expanding access to essential medicines and technologies.
* Securing enduring financing through domestic budgets, health taxes, and targeted international aid.
* Establishing ambitious targets and rigorously tracking progress with strong accountability measures.
* Actively preventing industry interference in health policy development.
HLM4 provides a unique opportunity to adopt an ambitious, action-oriented, and achievable political Declaration on NCDs and mental health – one grounded in evidence, rooted in human rights, and focused on delivering lasting impact beyond 2030.
Further Information:
The WHO has identified 29 highly effective and affordable ‘Best Buys’ for preventing and managing major NCDs, including heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and respiratory diseases. these interventions are most effective when implemented as a comprehensive package tailored to a country’s specific needs. More information can be found at: https://www.who.int/news/item/26-05-2023-more-ways–to-save-more-lives–for-less-money—-world-health-assembly-adopts-more-best-buys–to-tackle-noncommunicable-diseases and https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091078.
