WHO chief on NCDs and mental health urges governments to act decisively, warning that failure will cost lives and burden economies

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), issued the appeal in a video message on Saturday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where a High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health is scheduled for 25 September.

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“Noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, include seven of the world’s top ten causes of death, including cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease,” Dr Tedros said.

“In addition, more than one billion people face mental health conditions, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people.”

He stressed that beyond personal tragedies, the combined toll of NCDs and mental health conditions carries huge social and economic consequences. “Apart from cutting lives short and robbing families of their loved ones, these deaths also incur huge costs for health systems and economies.”

Over the past year, countries have negotiated a political declaration that will be finalised at the UNGA meeting.

Draft targets include reducing tobacco use by 150 million, expanding access to mental health care for 150 million people, and ensuring 150 million people achieve control of hypertension by 2030.

“Investing in NCD prevention is not a cost. It’s one of the smartest economic decisions any government can make,” he argued, while noting that industries profiting from unhealthy products often resist such measures.

Dr Tedros concluded with a call for leadership: “Countries that act decisively will save millions of lives, protect families, cut health costs, and unlock economic growth.”

Suicide remains a pressing global challenge, claiming over 700,000 lives annually. It is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds, with 73% of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

In Nigeria, the suicide mortality rate stood at 3.5 per 100,000 people as of January 2024, translating to around 15,000 deaths each year.

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The WHO emphasises that reducing stigma, improving mental health support, and scaling up preventive measures are essential to reversing these devastating trends.