With 43 Million Lives Lost to Noncommunicable Diseases in Past Year, Secretary-General Urges Progress on Health

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres' remarks to the high-level meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being, delivered by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, in New York today:

Welcome to this fourth high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.

Every two seconds, someone under the age of 70 dies from a noncommunicable disease. In this past year alone, over 43 million lives of all ages were lost to noncommunicable diseases - the largest cause of global deaths.

Mental health conditions affect over 1 billion people worldwide, and suicide remains among the leading causes of death for young people. 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. These figures are not only statistics. They represent lives shortened, livelihoods taken away and communities that are held back.

They remind us that noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are among the greatest public health and development challenges of our time. We see this played out among many groups in many contexts - including the post-COVID surge in youth mental health needs, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in conflict and crisis settings, where health systems are often least equipped to respond.

We have made progress since the first high-level meeting in 2011. Tobacco use is declining, more countries have national strategies in place, and access to treatment is expanding. Yet, my latest report makes clear that progress has slowed. The world is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4 of a one-third reduction in premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 2030.

The costs are immense - in human suffering, life expectancy, but also in lost productivity, strained health systems and deepening inequality. These conditions are largely preventable.

Proven, cost-effective actions do exist - but they must actually reach people. This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) added GLP-1-based medicines - widely known as obesity drugs - to its Essential Medicines List for type 2 diabetes with related conditions, alongside other essential medicines for hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Life-saving medicines must be available and affordable, not a privilege of wealth or geography.

The economics are on our side: WHO shows that scaling proven noncommunicable disease measures returns around $7 for every $1 that is invested. I would like to acknowledge the contribution this week in the UN of the Welcome Foundation to Mental Health that will support Chad and Lebanon.

The Political Declaration before you today sets out ambitious but achievable goals: by 2030, 150 million fewer people using tobacco; 150 million more with hypertension under control; and 150 million more with access to mental healthcare.

To achieve these targets, we must act together. We must strengthen primary health care as the foundation of universal health coverage. We must work across sectors and partners to address the social, economic, environmental determinants and the market forces that shape how people live, what choices they make and ultimately their health and well-being.

We must elevate mental health and psychosocial care in humanitarian settings, where the pressures are immense and needs are often overlooked and underfunded. We must ensure sustainable financing, including better use of fiscal measures to promote health and smart choices. We must place people living with noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions at the centre of these efforts, recognizing their lived experience as a source of knowledge and strength. And we must be accountable for our commitments.

With only five years left to 2030, time is short. But, if we act with urgency and unity, we can change the trajectory. Let us pledge to commit to prevention, to equity, and accelerated action. Together, we can transform lives, safeguard livelihoods and deliver on our promise of health and well-being for all.