Following the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on the prevention and control of nCDs (HLM4), the coming years represent a critical moment to turn political commitments into real progress.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancers, diabetes, mental health conditions and many others, are the #1 cause of death and disability worldwide. They account for 74% of all deaths and more than three out of four years lived with a disability. 

If no clear action is taken to reverse this trend, deaths from NCDs could rise to 52 million — or the population of South Korea — per year by 2030.

The 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs marked a major milestone for global action on NCD prevention, treatment and care. 

With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 global NCD targets, the focus must shift from commitments to implementation.