Bridging the Gap on NCDs: From Global Promises to Local Progress

Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) are recognised as the world’s biggest killer and cause of disability, constituting a global health crisis that requires an urgent policy response. This was acknowledged by world leaders at three UN High-Level Meetings on NCDs, meriting a dedicated target in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

However, almost ten years after the first UN HLM on NCDs and five years after the adoption of the SDGs, leaders have not yet followed up on their international commitments. The promises made at the UN to meet targets for 2025 and 20301 have not translated to necessary action at home.

This policy brief outlines the gaps in the first decade of the NCD response. Calling on the experience of NCD Alliance’s global network of people living with NCDs, advocates, campaigners and experts collected via several surveys, as well as the latest data from the World Health Organization and peer reviewed literature, the following pages identify what has been lost in translation of the global targets for NCD reduction and describe the major barriers to meaningful progress.