NCD Alliance Advocacy Briefing for WHO EB158

The human toll of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is unacceptable, inequitable, and increasing. NCDs lie at the heart of any discussion on health equity - equity cannot be achieved without addressing NCDs, and progress on preventing and mitigating their impact is inextricably linked to closing inequities and tackling the determinants of health.

As we enter 2026, only 19 countries and territories are on track to meet the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.4 to reduce premature NCD mortality by one-third by 2030.

158th Session of the Executive Board (EB158), taking place from 2 to 7 February 2026, marks the first WHO gathering following the fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4). This resource covers NCD-relevant items on the provisional annotated agenda of the session and provides our comments. These include Universal Health Coverage, integration of NCDs into primary health care, WHO work in health emergencies, reform of the global health architecture, and many other agenda items. 

The brief is based on the information available at the time of drafting.