WHO Warns of Slowing Progress on NCD, Mental Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments to scale up cost-effective interventions against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions, warning that progress in reducing premature deaths has slowed in most regions. A new WHO report finds that an additional investment of just US$3 per person annually could yield economic benefits of more than US$1 trillion by 2030.

“Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are silent killers, robbing us of lives and innovation,” says Tedros Adhanom, Director General, WHO. “Investing in the fight against NCDs is not just smart economics — it is an urgent necessity for thriving societies.”

The WHO’s "Saving lives, spending less” report shows that 82% of countries reduced NCD-related mortality between 2010 and 2019, but the pace of decline has slowed. In some countries, deaths have begun to rise again. Denmark recorded the largest improvements, while countries such as China, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, and Brazil also reported reductions in deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. However, increases in pancreatic and liver cancers, as well as neurological conditions, offset gains in many countries.

NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, and diabetes account for the majority of global deaths. Mental health conditions affect more than 1 billion people worldwide. Together, these contribute to 32 million deaths annually, nearly three-quarters of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. WHO officials stress that without stronger measures, millions more lives will be lost prematurely.

The report highlights WHO’s “Best Buys,” a package of 29 interventions that includes tobacco and alcohol taxation, restrictions on harmful marketing to children, hypertension management, and cervical cancer screening. Implementing these measures at scale would cost an average of US$3 per person per year but could save 12 million lives, prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes, and add 150 million healthy life years by 2030, says the WHO.

Despite their affordability, WHO notes that adoption of these measures often faces resistance from industries that profit from products linked to poor health outcomes. “It is unacceptable that commercial interests are profiting from increasing deaths and disease,” says Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion, and Prevention, WHO. He urges governments to resist pressure from tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food companies, which frequently seek to block or weaken regulations.

The timing of the report comes days before the Fourth United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on NCDs and mental health, scheduled for Sept. 25 in New York. Heads of State and Government are expected to adopt a new Political Declaration aimed at accelerating action and investment. WHO leaders describe the meeting as the most significant political opportunity of the decade to address NCDs and mental health.

“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,” says Devora Kestel, Director of the Department for NCDs and Mental Health, WHO.

The organization maintains that sustained political will and investment are critical to reversing trends. With global leaders gathering next week, WHO is pressing for commitments that translate into concrete policies capable of changing the trajectory of NCD and mental health outcomes through 2030 and beyond.