“We are starting interventions too late”, said Professor Mark Hanson, President, International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; at the NCD Alliance side event “A Healthy Future for All: Investing in Early Years for NCDs and Post-2015”, held on 21 September 2014 at Westin Grand Central Hotel, New York, against the backdrop of the UN 69th General Assembly.

Referring to the effects of urbanisation and development on health at all ages, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, Minister of Health, Rwanda, stated that “To tackle NCDs we need to question our 'civilized' style of life". Ms Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Novo Nordisk encapsulated the issues at hand saying "the link between urbanisation and diabetes is scary”.

Dr Binagwaho also noted that Rwanda has cut NCD and injury-related mortality by 48% in recent years with strict laws against tobacco, speeding and helmet use, and explained her country landmark goal of 100% access to HPV vaccination against cervical cancer. “Improving health is posible through signing and enforcing laws. It’s as simple as that”.

Speaking about funding mechanisms for NCDs, Dr Ariel Pablos-Mendez, Assistant Administrator for Global Health, USAID, highlighted that “a new paradigm is emerging, different from what we have seen in the last 20 years”. He also noted that USAID Global Health’s capacities can "easily be amended" to address chronic care needed for ‪NCDs‬.

"We need to empower young people in the fight against ‪NCDs”, said Krystal Boyea, Vice President, IDF Young Leaders in Diabetes Programme.

Panelists agreed that many of the risk factors for NCDs originate in the early stages of life, as early as conception, and patterns of consumption of unhealthy products and exposure to social and environmental determinants are established in childhood and adolescence.

Click here to read the NCD Alliance Policy Brief on Sustaining Human Development - Leveraging Early Life Opportunities for NCDs