UICC welcomes the adoption of the Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health

When Member States met earlier this year, on 25 September, at the fourth UN HLM on NCDs, the tone of the discussions reflected an urgent need for action. Country representatives had spent four months negotiating a Political Declaration, which contained clear recognition of the scale and impact of NCDs on communities around the world, and a series of time-bound targets to guide national action.

While the Declaration was strongly endorsed by the vast majority of Member States, however, a small number voiced concerns over the inclusion of equity as a health goal, the role of WHO in global health architecture, the use of taxation to address NCD risk factors, and references to commercial determinants of health. Due to these objections, the formal adoption of the Declaration was delayed.

UICC is now pleased to see that the Political Declaration was adopted through the UN General Assembly on 15 December, following calls by the WHO Civil Society Working Group of 36 global NCD organisations. While it misses some key language – including the removal of a proposed targets on excise taxes for health-harming products and insufficient attention to civil society participation – the Declaration contains several key commitments, including new fast-track and tracer targets, strengthened health workforce measures, and recognition of the critical role of people living with NCDs.

UICC will be encouraging and supporting its members to advocate with their governments to integrate into national NCD plans the commitments laid out in the Political Declaration. This includes the time-bound targets, and implementing legislative, regulatory and fiscal measures to prevent and control NCDs, as well as setting up financial protection mechanisms to cover or limit the cost of essential services, diagnostics, medicines and other health products.

These will support action on NCDs and reinforce the pathway to universal health coverage (UHC) ahead of the 2027 HLM on UHC.