Advancing Access: A practical advocacy toolkit for improving access to NCD medicines, diagnostics and medical devices

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming 43 million lives each year. Many of these deaths can be prevented through timely access to affordable medicines, diagnostics and medical devices.

The Political Declaration adopted following last year’s fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4) has renewed global attention to access to essential NCD medicines and technologies. It sets a global target of ensuring that ‘at least 80% of primary health care facilities in all countries have availability of World Health Organization-recommended essential medicines and basic technologies for noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions, at affordable prices, by 2030’. At the same time, Member States recommitted to strengthening financial protection, setting a global target for ‘at least 60% of countries to have mechanisms in place by 2030 to cover essential NCD and mental health services and health products’.

The NCD Alliance and the University of Geneva have developed two complementary resources to help translate these commitments into action:

• Advancing Access: Global priorities to improve access to NCD medicines, diagnostics and medical devices – a policy brief outlining the priority actions needed to close access gaps.
• Advancing Access: A practical advocacy toolkit for improving access to NCD medicines, diagnostics and medical devices – a practical guide that helps advocates turn these priorities into country-level action and hold governments accountable for delivering on their commitments. The toolkit guides users through five steps of the pharmaceutical value chain, helping advocates develop a more comprehensive understanding of why people in their countries are unable to access essential NCD medicines and medical devices. It also supports them in formulating stronger, evidence-informed advocacy asks directed at ministries of health, ministries of finance and other relevant bodies.

Join us for the launch of these resources, hear from different stakeholders as they share case studies on advocacy around access to essential NCD medicines and devices, and brainstorm practical actions that can make a difference in the lives of people living with NCDs.  

This webinar is possible thanks to the financial support of the University of Geneva and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.