Universal Health Coverage means ensuring that everyone, everywhere, can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardship. With NCDs ravaging households and societies, the need for UHC has never been more urgent.

Prof Bo Norrving writes on the value of a more coordinated effort to reduce the burden of stroke and NCDs on individuals and society, by identifying common gaps and collective actions.

This policy brief explores the impact of stroke in society, highlighting the need for awareness on how to prevent and treat stroke before, during and after its occurrence. It also provides key actions that health systems, care providers and civil society can implement to improve the response to stroke and NCDs, based on a comprehensive and integrated approach.

The World Heart Federation launched the White Paper for Circulatory Health on 25 September, during the United Nations General Assembly and just ahead of the High-Level Meeting on NCDs.

This year's global campaign for World Heart Day (29 September) focuses on looking after our own hearts, and the hearts of our loved ones with the slogan My Heart, Your Heart.