NCD policy milestones
2023
WHO launches the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030 to address harmful alcohol use and its impact on NCDs, recognizing that the pace of development and implementation of alcohol policies has been uneven in WHO regions, and that resources and capacities for implementation of the WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol do not correspond to the magnitude of the problem.
The World Health Assembly endorses an update of Appendix 3 of the Global NCD Action Plan 2013–2030.
Countries of the WHO European Region adopt the Budapest Declaration, agreeing to accelerate the transition towards resilient, healthy, equitable and sustainable societies, incorporating the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. It commits to increasing efforts to address environmental determinants of diseases.
The European Framework for Action on Alcohol 2022–2025, developed in consultation with Member States, civil society organisations and the public, is adopted by all 53 Members.
WHO / Faith Kilford Vorting
2016
In response to alarming rates of childhood obesity, the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (established in 2014) publishes its Report, which features a set of recommendations to tackle childhood and adolescent obesity in different contexts around the world. It draws particular attention to the need to address the environments that encourage weight gain and obesity among children, particularly in disadvantaged communities. With financial and operational support provided by the Russian Federation, WHO opens an NCD Office in Moscow to provide specialized support to Member States of the WHO European Region in preventing and controlling NCDs.
WHO
2020
WHO launches the Global Diabetes Compact 2020–2030, aiming to reduce the risk of diabetes, particularly supporting the prevention of type 2 diabetes from obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity; and to ensure all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.
The World Health Assembly passes a resolution and adopts the Global strategy for cervical cancer elimination to support countries to meet their 90–70–90 (vaccination, screening, treatment) targets by 2030.
WHO / Panos / Atul Loke
2008
The WHO Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases is adopted by the World Health Assembly. With a special focus on low- and middle-income countries, the strategy aims to raise the priority accorded to NCDs in development work at global and national level, and to integrate prevention and control of NCDs into policies across all government departments. It focuses on 4 main NCDs – cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases, and the 4 shared risk factors – tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and consumption of alcohol.
WHO Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
WHO
2011
Following the first Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and NCD Control (Moscow Declaration) in April, September sees the first UN High-level Meeting on NCDs and UN Political Declaration on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The declaration recognizes NCDs among the major challenges for development in the 21st century, stating that they present a threat to the economies of many Member States. It recalls the existing mandates of the UN General Assembly for international action and coordination on tobacco control, alcohol reduction, healthy diets, and physical activity.
UN Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
2013
The WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020 is endorsed by the World Health Assembly. It recognizes the primary role and responsibility of governments in responding to the challenge of NCDs and the important role of international cooperation to support national efforts. The action plan provides Member States, international partners and WHO with a roadmap and menu of policy options to progress on 9 global NCD targets, including a 25% relative reduction in premature mortality (between the ages of 30 and 70 years) from NCDs by 2025 (later designated as the NCD best buys). The WHO Global Monitoring Framework on NCDs starts tracking implementation of the Global action plan through data collection and reporting on the attainment of the 9 global targets against a 2010 baseline.
WHO / Alasdair Bell
2014
The UN High-level Meeting on NCDs is held and the Outcome document on NCDs is produced. The meeting is aimed to take stock of progress and to identify and address gaps in responses to the challenges of NCDs. It recognizes that progress in the prevention and control of NCDs has been insufficient and highly uneven, and that continued and increased efforts are essential. Four priority areas are identified: governance, prevention and reduction of risk factors, health care and surveillance. The outcome document recognizes the importance of policy to address underlying social determinants and to create health-promoting environments.
WHO / Sergey Volkov
2017
WHO hosts a Global Conference on NCDs, which results in the Montevideo Roadmap 2018–2030. A comprehensive report titled Tackling NCDs: 'best buys' and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases is published by WHO to assist Member States in implementing contextually appropriate measures towards achieving the SDGs. It includes a list of options for each of the 4 key NCD risk factors (tobacco, alcohol use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity) and for 4 disease areas (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease). An updated list of NCD best buys is approved by the World Health Assembly in 2023.
WHO
2022
WHO launches its NCD Progress Monitor (fourth in the series) providing data on 19 indicators for all 194 WHO Member States, including time-bound targets to reduce NCD deaths, implement all-of-government policies, measures on tobacco and alcohol reduction, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, and strengthen health systems through primary health care and universal health coverage.
The first meeting of the WHO Global NCD Compact 2020–2030 is convened during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and the landmark report titled Invisible numbers: the true extent of noncommunicable diseases and what to do about them is launched.
WHO publishes the Global status report on physical activity, the WHO European Regional Obesity Report and a Roadmap to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem in the WHO European Region. WHO Member States adopt 5 new global targets for diabetes diagnosis and management.
WHO
WHO
2021
The United Nations Food Systems Summit discusses the role of nutrition and healthy diets in addressing NCDs, and has the overall goal of setting the stage for global food systems transformation to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
WHO publishes its Discussion Paper on the development of an implementation roadmap for the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2023–2030, to help to guide and inform regional consultations.
WHO/Europe launches framework for assessment of prison health system performance to monitor and measure healthcare delivery in prisons and other places of detention in a standardized way.
WHO / Quinn Mattingly
2004
The Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health is adopted by the World Health Assembly. The strategy primarily addresses 2 of the major risk factors responsible for the growing burden of NCDs: unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. The strategy aims to sound the alarm on the rising levels of NCDs, which account for about 60% of all deaths and 47% of the global burden of disease. It recognizes the significant economic burden that NCDs are already putting on health systems and societies.
WHO
2018
The WHO Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030 is launched, providing updated guidance and a framework of policy actions to increase physical activity at all levels. This is a response to requests for global leadership and stronger regional and national coordination to support people to be regularly active throughout their lives in accordance with their abilities.
The Political declaration of the Third High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs expresses grave concern about the huge human and economic cost of NCDs, which contributes to poverty and inequity.
WHO / Sören Talu
2024
WHO and UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) host the Global high-level technical meeting on NCDs in humanitarian settings to better integrate the delivery of NCD prevention and control services as part of emergency preparedness, humanitarian response and refugee health.
WHO/Europe hosts an Innovation for Public Health meeting and launches a groundbreaking report on the commercial determinants of NCDs in the European Region.
WHO / Christopher Black
2000
The 8 United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are agreed to by all of the world’s countries and development institutions, with a target date of 2015. Three of the 8 goals specifically mention health: reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are absent from the MDGs.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
2015
WHO publishes a Technical Note on how it will report to the UN General Assembly in 2017 on the progress achieved in the implementation of national commitments included in the 2011 UN Political Declaration and the 2014 UN Outcome document on NCDs. Evolving from the 8 MDGs, a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is adopted by the United Nations, including a target to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one third by 2030.
WHO/Europe publishes reports on 2 major NCD risk factors: the Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region and the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan, which follow a Health in All Policies approach.
2003
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is adopted by the World Health Assembly in response to the global tobacco epidemic. It marks the first time WHO’s constitutional authority is used to establish an international regulatory mechanism for tobacco control.
WHO
2019
The World Health Assembly extends the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020 to 2030, and calls for the development of an Implementation Roadmap 2023–2030 to accelerate progress on preventing and controlling NCDs. The Roadmap will support countries with actions to achieve a set of 9 global targets with the greatest impact on prevention and management of NCDs.
The Political Declaration of the UN High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage recognizes the huge disease and financial burden posed by NCDs and reaffirms its commitment to promote and implement policy, legislative and regulatory measures, including fiscal measures to minimize the impact of the main risk factors for NCDs.
Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage
WHO
Related links
Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region (2015)
WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan (2015)
Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (2019)
Global strategy for cervical cancer elimination (2020)
WHO Global NCD Compact 2020–2030 (2022)
Invisible numbers: the true extent of NCDs (2022)
Global Status Report on Physical Activity (2022)
WHO European Regional Obesity Report (2022)
First-ever global coverage targets for diabetes adopted at the 75th World Health Assembly (2023)
Updated Appendix 3 of the Global NCD Action Plan 2013–2030 (2023)
Countries of the WHO European Region adopt Budapest Declaration
WHO List of Expanded NCD Best Buys (2023)
WHO/Europe Innovation Ecosystem for Public Health meeting (March 2024)