The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Nigeria, China, Egypt, Russia, Brazil, and Denmark for achieving significant progress in reducing mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to WHO, the biggest gains came from declines in cardiovascular diseases and several cancers—including stomach and colorectal cancers in both sexes, cervical and breast cancers in women, and lung and prostate cancers in men. However, rising deaths from pancreatic and liver cancers, alongside neurological conditions, continue to challenge many nations.
In its new report, “Saving Lives, Spending Less”, released on Thursday, WHO revealed that an additional investment of just US$3 per person annually in tackling NCDs could yield economic benefits of up to US$1 trillion by 2030. The agency urged governments to scale up cost-effective solutions to address NCDs and mental health, noting that these conditions account for the majority of global deaths.
Between 2010 and 2019, 82% of countries recorded reductions in premature NCD mortality. Yet, WHO warned that progress has slowed, with some nations even experiencing a resurgence. Nearly 75% of NCD- and mental health-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, costing 32 million lives each year.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, emphasized the urgency:
“Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are silent killers, robbing us of lives and innovation. Investing in the fight against NCDs isn’t just smart economics—it’s an urgent necessity for thriving societies.”
The report also highlighted obstacles, including intense lobbying from tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food industries, which often resist health policies such as taxation, marketing restrictions, and child-protection measures.
WHO urged governments to fully adopt its Best Buys package of interventions, which includes tobacco and alcohol taxation, hypertension management, and cervical cancer screening. Scaling these up could save 12 million lives, prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes, add 150 million healthy life years, and generate over US$1 trillion in economic benefits by 2030.
The upcoming Fourth UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on NCDs and mental health—scheduled for September 25 in New York—will be the decade’s most important political opportunity to accelerate global action. Leaders are expected to adopt a bold Political Declaration that will set the course for achieving the 2030 targets and safeguarding future generations.
“We know what works. The time to act is now. Governments that act decisively will protect and save lives, cut costs, and unlock growth. Those that delay will pay in lost lives and weaker economies,” said Dr. Devora Kestel, WHO’s Director for NCDs and Mental Health.
