RACE to the Finish: European Regional Multi-stakeholder Consultation on the Fourth United Nations High Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health

22 October 2024,10:00–11:30 (CEST)

Everyone has a stake in accelerating action on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. To emphasize the urgency of this work, at the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC73) held in Astana in 2023, the Region launched a 100-week challenge to make every week count to achieve the internationally agreed NCD-related SDG targets ahead of the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (HLM4) in 2025.

The Region is not yet on track to achieve this target, or the targets and indicators for the associated NCD Global Monitoring Framework, so there is no room for complacency.

Unless the WHO best buys for NCDs are implemented more rapidly, including reducing tobacco use, it has been estimated that the European Region will have the highest proportion of smoking adults of all WHO regions, projected to reach 23% by 2030. Currently, people over the age of 15 years in Europe consume the highest amount of alcohol per capita in the world, and none of the Member States in the European Region will achieve the 2025 target to halt the rise of overweight and obesity that was committed to as part of the NCD Global Monitoring Framework. Although mortality from cardiovascular disease has declined in recent years, the rate of decline is stalling in many countries. In addition, deaths from cancer far exceed those that can be prevented or avoided. Factors such as conflict, pandemics, insecurity, natural disasters, increased levels of addiction and the increasingly digital and disconnected lives that people lead have exacerbated the mental health challenges faced by populations in the Region.

At this session, representatives from Member States and civil society, as well as other stakeholders will review the progress that has been made and consider the urgency of the action needed to be taken towards the attainment of SDG target 3.4 relating to NCDs and mental health.