9 February 2021, Geneva (Switzerland)/Copenhagen (Denmark) – The NCD Alliance (NCDA) and World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) announce a new partnership aimed at promoting sustainable and multisectoral responses to the growing burden from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with focus on the critical role of civil society.

United Nations global targets to reduce the NCD epidemic are not bearing fruit on the ground. According to the latest WHO NCD Progress Monitor 2020, which measures the progress of 194 countries against 10 key indicators, not a single country meets all indicators; and an alarming number of countries are still lacking the most fundamental building blocks of a national response.

"Effectively addressing NCDs will take collaboration across all sectors and levels as well as increased and sustained investment, especially in the most vulnerable countries, where the heaviest burden of diabetes and other NCDs is felt," says Katie Dain, CEO of the NCD Alliance. "We look forward to working closer with WDF over the coming years to promote pioneering models that will help put the brake on the NCD epidemic."

Since 2002, WDF has partnered with and supported civil society organisations working at all levels – international, national and community. In recent years, WDF has engaged increasingly in wider and larger national NCD responses with multi-stakeholder engagement, and in accordance with the integrated care agenda.

"Without strong civil society engagement it will not be possible to bend the rising curve of diabetes and other NCDs", Mr Leif Fenger Jensen, Managing Director of WDF, emphasizes. “Today, a significant share of WDF partners and funding recipients are civil society organizations carrying out critical work to advance NCD programmes in their communities and at nationwide scale. Through our new partnership with the NCD Alliance we wish to showcase and expand the role of civil society and are encouraged to join forces with the NCDA and its advocacy expertise.”

NCDA and WDF were both deeply involved in the 2018 ‘Global Dialogue on Partnerships for Sustainable Financing of NCD Prevention and Control’, held in Copenhagen and co-hosted by WHO and Denmark, and the financing agenda will also be a key area of the new NCDA-WDF advocacy partnership, seeking to mobilise more resources to NCD responses worldwide.

About the World Diabetes Foundation

The World Diabetes Foundation is a leading global funder of diabetes prevention and care projects in low- and middle-income countries. Our vision is to alleviate human suffering related to diabetes among those in greatest need. We pursue sustainable, scalable approaches, helping countries meet global goals for improved care of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. For more information, visit worlddiabetesfoundation.org

About the NCD Alliance

The NCD Alliance (NCDA) is a unique civil society network, dedicated to improving NCD prevention and control worldwide. Today, our network includes NCDA members, national and regional NCD alliances, over 1,000 member associations of our founding federations, scientific and professional associations, and academic and research institutions. Together with strategic partners, including WHO, the UN and governments, NCDA is uniquely positioned to transform the global fight against NCDs through its core functions of global advocacy, accountability, capacity development and knowledge exchange.