How could the multilateral system contribute to achieving a world without NCDs by 2050?
This is the question we asked participants in our project, here is the result, check out our project-related policy brief:
Objective 2050: Four visions for a comprehensive NCD prevention strategy
Context
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are amongst the greatest public health challenges worldwide being responsible for the death of 41 million people each year according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More importantly, NCDs are closely linked to socioeconomic and environmental factors and 77% of all NCD-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Since 2020, the focus of the international community has largely turned towards Covid-19. Even in this context, NCDs matter as people with NCDs have a higher risk of severe Covid-19 disease. In 2025, the 4th High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs is taking place. While the preparations are ongoing, we want to bring youth inputs into the debate!
Our project
Together with a cohort of students, we exchanged with professionals from the WHO (Bente Mikkelsen & Dr. Slim Slama, NCD Department), civil society (Dr. Grace Dubois, NCD Alliance), academia (Ueli Staeger, Univ. of Geneva and former foraus board member) and the private sector (Claudia Vittori & Silvan Wittwer, Price Waterhouse Cooper Switzerland) about the current state of the global fight against NCDs and envisioned policy recommendations to address NCD risk factors in the future. We are now consolidating the latter in the form of a policy brief with recommendations for action to address this major public health challenge by 2050.
More background information on NCDs
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors. The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), diabetes and mental health conditions. The five officially recognized NCD risk factors are: tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution.Find more detailed information on the WHO's NCD Knowledge Action Portal and check out our background reader!