On 27 May 2024, IFPMA, IGBA, DITTA, GSCF, WHL, and PATH submitted a constituency statement to the World Health Assembly on Provisional Agenda Item 11.2, NCDs and UHC.

IFPMA, IGBA, DITTA, GSCF, WHL, and PATH welcome the agenda item on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and WHO’s continued commitment to this global health challenge. A life-course approach to tackling NCDs is critical given the unsustainable pressures the rising burden of chronic conditions and co-morbidities are placing on healthcare systems worldwide.

As we emerge from a prominent year for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and enter into the 4^th High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2025, we must focus our efforts on achieving UHC on the ground. This cannot be done without comprehensive access to NCD care for all at the core of our efforts. Prevention, early detection, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and care must be prioritized in essential benefits packages for NCDs. In this regard, we urge the Second International Financing Dialogue for NCDs to put forward actionable strategies for governments to secure the appropriate levels of financing required to truly tackle the enormity of this global burden of disease, generating major financial and health gains and contributing to an important subset of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Alongside our collective advocacy to keep NCDs high on the global agenda, we need to develop innovative health technologies and solutions that work for all people living with NCDs. We urge WHO to leverage the capabilities of all non-state actors, including the private sector, committed to finding appropriate ways forward to improve access to quality diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments for those living with NCDs. We support the efforts of multistakeholder platforms, such as the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products and the European Alliance on Cardiovascular Health, which bring together different parts of the global health community committed to tackling NCD prevention and control.

The members of this constituency remain committed to working with others to build access solutions and contribute toward stronger health systems to improve the lives of people living with NCDs. Meeting UHC objectives cannot be achieved without clear prioritization of NCD management and care by national governments, and meaningful investment in primary healthcare as the foundation of a healthier, more sustainable future for all.

a joint statement BY:

About IFPMA

IFPMA represents the innovative pharmaceutical industry at the international level, engaging in official relations with the United Nations and multilateral organizations. Our vision is to ensure that scientific progress translates into the next generation of medicines and vaccines that deliver a healthier future for people everywhere.

To achieve this, we act as a trusted partner, bringing our members' expertise to champion pharmaceutical innovation, drive policy that supports the research, development, and delivery of health technologies, and create sustainable solutions that advance global health.

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