Highlight
NCDs in a changing world: lessons from the Global NCDA Forum
When the choice was made to hold this year’s Global NCDA Forum in February, no one could have guessed it would be held in the eye of a storm - the announcement of the US withdrawal from WHO and dismantling of USAID. The below excerpt is from a letter written by our President Monika Arora and CEO Katie Dain, as a call to keep up the momentum and unity of the Forum as we chart a new way forward for global health.
"A main takeaway from the Forum was that we are stronger together as a movement and a community. We know what to do and we know our goals for the HLM; now we have to grab this opportunity with both hands and be united in our advocacy efforts.
And this was even more so given the geopolitical backdrop to the Forum, with the NCD and global health community reeling from the announcement of the US government withdrawal from WHO and the dismantling of USAID. These abrupt decisions cast great uncertainty over the future of health financing and undermine the role and strength of WHO, making the Forum a pivotal moment for the NCD community to regroup and strategise.
The fall-out of the Trump Administration’s decisions for global health is already evident. Since the Forum took place, over 90% of USAID contracts for humanitarian and development work around the world have been terminated. Essential health programmes that have been running for decades and provide life-saving treatment for people living with infectious diseases in LMICs, as well as supporting reproductive and primary healthcare services for millions of women and girls, are being severely disrupted or ended..."
Read the full letter from Katie and Monika
|
|
Dates approved for High-Level Meeting and interactive multistakeholder hearing
The High-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4) will take place on 25 September 2025. Its theme — Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being, according to the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly.
A multistakeholder hearing will precede HLM4 and take place on Friday, 2 May 2025. It will assemble a broad range of groups, including invited civil society organisations, academia, medical associations, relevant private sector entities and people living with NCDs. One of the hearing's aims is to identify concrete milestones for the Meeting and the Political Declaration that will be issued at HLM4. The hearing will include two panels:
Panel 1: Tackling the determinants of noncommunicable diseases and mental
health and well-being through multisectoral and effective governance and
collaborative action
Panel 2: Reshaping and strengthening health systems and all forms of financing
to meet the needs of people living with and at risk of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions.
Read the resolution.
|
|
NCD Alliance analysis of the 156th session of WHO’s Executive Board (EB156)
"On Wednesday 5 February, NCDs took centre stage in the discussions, with emphasis on their critical importance in the lead-up to September’s 4th High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4). This focus had already been strongly laid out in the opening statements of many Member States. We were encouraged to hear many countries actively addressing the growing burden of NCDs and the necessity to accelerate efforts toward NCD targets.
We heard delegates calling for “2025 to be a year of collective efforts” and highlighting that “the HLM4 provides an opportunity for renewed action.” We must now collectively ensure that these sentiments lead to meaningful progress in the prevention and control of NCDs, protected from conflicts of interests and interference by harmful product industries."
Read the full blog post by Mina Pécot-Demiaux.
|
|
Released: A spark to ignite the NCD movement
The HLM4 is fast approaching, and we need to grow the movement now. The Call to Lead on NCDs is already gaining momentum, but to truly make an impact we need more organisations and individuals to step up and take action. Decision-makers must see and hear the collective demand for stronger commitments on NCDs—this is our moment to ensure they do. That’s where the Spark the Movement guide comes in.
This practical toolkit equips organisations with ready-made tools and resources to amplify The Call to Lead within their networks. Whether through social media, advocacy events, or direct outreach, every effort helps build the pressure needed to turn commitments into action. Now is the time to light the spark that catches the attention of policymakers and ignites real change. Will you help us drive the movement forward?
Download Spark the Movement now.
|
|
|
OECD flagship report spotlights health experiences and outcomes of people living with NCDs
The groundbreaking OECD PaRIS (Patient Reported Indicator Surveys) flagship report was launched in February 2025, sharing the results from the first international survey of its kind to assess the outcomes and experiences of people living with NCDs in primary care settings. The survey echoes the voices of over 100,000 primary care users, aged 45 and older, in 19 countries, over 80% of whom were living with at least one NCD.
The PaRIS initiative uses a new generation of indicators to capture people’s self- reported health experiences and outcomes. The flagship report shines a spotlight on what matters most to people living with NCDs in their care. It provides insights into multimorbidity, people-centred care, inequalities, trust in healthcare and key indicators like self-reported health, well-being and experienced quality of care. NCDA has accompanied the OECD PaRIS initiative since 2020, via the PaRIS patient advisory panel, supporting with input to civil society organisation and lived experience survey development and roll out.
Explore the PaRIS flagship report.
|
|
Key takeaways from the NCD Alliance Global Forum in Kigali, Rwanda
"As we look ahead to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs this September, Vital Strategies is calling on governments, policy makers, the private sector and other institutions at global, national and municipal levels to help build the public health systems of the future that can effectively and sustainably tackle the growing burden of NCDs. To do so we must:
- Let the data guide priority-setting
- Invest in evidence-based win-win solutions like health taxes
- Build cross-sector partnerships to drive policy change that create environments where the default way of life is a healthy way of life.
Read the full blog post by Mary-Ann Etiebet, MD, President and CEO, Vital Strategies
|
|
International Women's Day: Journey to India
The NCD Alliance mini-documentary Going Full Circle will take you on a journey into health equity, the universal right to health, and the power of community. Travel to India to meet Nupur and Snehal, two women living with diabetes who display the power of a civil society organisation run by and for people living with NCDs.
Watch our mini-film now.
|
|
How crop diversification is failing tobacco farmers in Malawi — report
The tobacco industry’s claims of supporting crop diversification in Malawi are contradicted by evidence suggesting its efforts are largely superficial and counterproductive, says a new report.
Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI), in collaboration with STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog, investigated the industry’s role in hindering farmers' transition away from tobacco. As part of the investigation, SDI reviewed publicly available documents and previously published research, and gathered first-hand perspectives from 160 farmers and 14 key informants with connections to tobacco cultivation in Malawi.
See the full report.
|
|
Are your kidneys OK? World Kidney Day 2025
Detect early, protect kidney health is the theme for the 2025 World Kidney Day.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect approximately 850 million people worldwide. If left undetected and not treated timely, CKD can progress to kidney failure, leading to severe complications and premature mortality. By 2040, CKD is projected to become the 5th leading cause of years of life lost, highlighting the urgent need for global strategies to combat kidney disease.
Get educated about Kidney Day 2025.
|
|
|
|
