World Leaders Adopt Historic Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health

World leaders at the Eightieth United Nations General Assembly have adopted a historic political declaration to combat noncommunicable diseases and mental health challenges through an integrated approach.

Titled "Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being", the declaration represents the first time NCDs and mental health have been addressed together in a UN political declaration.

Noncommunicable diseases claim 18 million lives prematurely each year, whilst mental health conditions affect over one billion people globally. These health challenges are often driven by preventable risk factors including unhealthy diets, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and air pollution, many of which also negatively impact mental health.

The declaration establishes three first-ever global fast-track outcome targets to be achieved by 2030:

• 150 million fewer tobacco users;
• 150 million more people with hypertension under control; and
• 150 million more people with access to mental health care.

To support these goals, the declaration sets measurable process targets for national systems by 2030. These include at least 80% of countries having policy, legislative, regulatory and fiscal measures in place; at least 80% of primary health care facilities with access to affordable WHO-recommended essential medicines; and at least 60% of countries implementing financial protection policies for essential NCD and mental health services.

Additionally, at least 80% of countries should have operational multisectoral national plans, and at least 80% should have robust surveillance and monitoring systems.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated that the adoption of these bold targets is a testament to the commitment of Member States to protect the health of their people. He expressed confidence that together, the global community can change the trajectory of NCDs and mental health.

This political declaration is the most comprehensive to date, integrating lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Its unprecedented scope includes broader NCD areas such as oral health, lung health, childhood cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, and rare diseases.

The declaration also addresses expanded environmental determinants including air pollution, clean cooking, lead exposure, and hazardous chemicals. For the first time, it tackles the evolving risks of digital harms such as social media exposure, excessive screen time, harmful content, and misinformation.

The political declaration reflects a sharper regulatory focus on e-cigarettes, novel tobacco products, unhealthy food marketing to children, front-of-pack labelling, and the elimination of trans fats.

Acknowledging strained economic conditions worldwide, the declaration features stronger financing language than its predecessors by urging countries to secure adequate, predictable and sustained funding through increased domestic financing and strengthened international partnerships.

The declaration firmly positions NCDs and mental health as central pillars for achieving sustainable development and social justice. It underscores that solutions require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, engaging civil society, partners, youth, persons with disabilities, and people with lived experience.

The UN Secretary-General will report on progress towards these targets by 2030, ahead of the next High-Level Meeting.