• UN hearing highlights the urgent need to address NCDs due to their significant contribution to global deaths (70%).
• Speakers advocate for increased funding, health taxes on unhealthy products, and decriminalization of suicide to combat NCDs.
• Concerns raised about industry influence on health policies and the necessity of including affected communities in decision-making processes.

A UN multi-stakeholder hearing, convened by UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang, took place to identify priorities for addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on September 25th. The hearing highlighted the significant global burden of NCDs, which account for 70% of deaths worldwide. Participants discussed the need for increased resources, policy changes, and the importance of protecting health policy from undue influence.

• What: A UN multi-stakeholder hearing on NCDs was held to discuss priorities and solutions to address the global burden of these diseases.
• Who: Key participants included UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang, NCD Alliance CEO Kaie Dain, youth speaker Stephanie Whiteman, Women in Global Health Executive Director Magda Robalo, Vital Strategies CEO Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, and International Diabetes Federation's Lucía Feito Alonca, along with representatives from various civil society organizations and member states.
• When: The hearing took place on Friday, prior to the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs set for September 25th.
• Where: The hearing was held at the United Nations (UN).

The UN hearing on NCDs underscores the urgent need for a coordinated global response to address these preventable diseases. The call for increased funding, policy changes (such as health taxes and decriminalization of suicide), and protection from industry influence highlights the multifaceted challenges in tackling NCDs. The emphasis on including affected communities in decision-making is crucial for ensuring effective and equitable health policies. The upcoming HLM on NCDs represents a critical opportunity to renew commitments and implement concrete actions to reduce the global burden of NCDs.

The last decade has been coined as a policy success, but an implementation failure. This HLM has to change this, renewing commitments to cost-effective policies that we know work to reduce the risk factors and improve access to care.

A young person today is more likely to die by suicide than at the previous High Level Meeting.

If we truly want to build stronger health systems and achieve universal self coverage, we must listen to those who live with these conditions every single day. That means putting people at the centre of care.

The UN hearing on NCDs has amplified the urgency for a comprehensive global strategy, highlighting the need for increased resources, policy changes, and protection from industry influence. With the upcoming HLM on NCDs presenting a pivotal opportunity, the focus must shift towards translating discussions into concrete actions, measurable financing targets, and time-bound commitments to achieve SDG target 3.4. This includes addressing the mismatch between the scale of the NCD burden and the level of funding, advocating for health taxes, and implementing multisectoral policies targeting risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity. Moreover, it is crucial to safeguard policy from the undue influence of health-harming industries, integrate NCDs into essential health service packages, and ensure these services are sustained during humanitarian emergencies. The declaration from the HLM4 should serve as a core framework to accelerate NCD prevention and control, promote mental health and well-being, and drive global and national actions towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.