NCD Child wholeheartedly endorses the WHA73 Pillar of achieving better health and well-being for one billion people worldwide. With the rising trends of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally, there is an increasing need to focus on the impact of chronic NCDs and the challenges they present for health and well-being. They are a leading cause of disability and death, with up to 42 million deaths per year or 73 per cent of deaths globally. As such, we recognize that prioritizing the impact of NCDs along with infectious diseases is essential in order to achieve better health.
Young people are at the centre of the NCD epidemic as two-thirds of premature deaths due to NCDs are linked to risk factor behaviours during childhood, adolescence and youth. Young people, including those living with NCDs, are key stakeholders in the global NCD agenda, who must be meaningfully engaged in order to sustainably achieve better health and well-being for all.
