Beyza Binnur Dönmez
18 September 2025•Update: 18 September 2025
GENEVA
An additional investment of just $3 per person annually to tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) could save millions of lives and generate economic benefits of more than $1 trillion by 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday in a new report.
The report highlighted the impact of affordable measures such as taxing tobacco and alcohol, expanding cervical cancer screening, and scaling up hypertension management. The WHO estimated that full implementation by 2030 could save 12 million lives, prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes, add 150 million healthy years of life, and deliver a $1 trillion return on investment by the end of the decade.
"Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are silent killers, robbing us of lives and innovation," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We have the tools to save lives and reduce suffering. Countries like Denmark, South Korea, and Moldova are leading the way, while others stalling. Investing in the fight against NCDs isn't just smart economics—it's an urgent necessity for thriving societies."
The NCDs, including heart disease, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, account for most global deaths. Nearly 75% of NCD- and mental health-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, amounting to 32 million lives lost each year, according to the UN health agency.
"It is unacceptable that commercial interests are profiting from increasing deaths and disease," said Etienne Krug, the director of WHO's department of health determinants, promotion and prevention. "Governments must put people before profits and ensure evidence-based policy is not derailed by corporate pressure."
The agency also shared new analysis of country-level progress in reducing NCD mortality between 2010 and 2019. While 82% of countries achieved reductions during this period, the rate of progress has slowed significantly across most regions, with some countries even experiencing a resurgence in NCD-related deaths.
The WHO urged governments to implement its "Best Buys" -- 29 highly effective and affordable measures identified by the agency -- of proven interventions as world leaders prepare to gather in New York on Sept. 25 for a high-level UN meeting on NCDs and mental health.
