Islamabad: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions are causing 32 million deaths annually in low- and middle-income countries, with progress in reducing mortality slowing down in most regions, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday, urging governments to invest just US$3 per person annually in cost-effective solutions that could save 12 million lives and deliver economic benefits of over US$1 trillion by 2030.
In a new report titled “Saving lives, spending less”, WHO revealed that while 82 percent of countries achieved reductions in NCD mortality between 2010 and 2019, the pace of progress has declined and some nations are now witnessing a resurgence in deaths. NCDs, which include heart attacks, strokes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, remain the leading global killers, while more than one billion people live with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
“Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are silent killers, robbing us of lives and innovation,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“We have the tools to save lives and reduce suffering. Countries like Denmark, South Korea, and Moldova are leading the way, while others are stalling. Investing in the fight against NCDs isn’t just smart economics—it’s an urgent necessity for thriving societies.”
WHO noted that nearly 75 percent of NCD and mental health-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In the last decade, the biggest gains were seen in cardiovascular diseases and some cancers, but mortality from pancreatic and liver cancers and neurological conditions has risen in several regions. Denmark recorded the largest improvements for both sexes, while China, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, and Brazil also reported notable declines in NCD deaths.
The agency stressed that solutions to tackle NCDs and mental health are affordable and highly cost-effective, but governments often face lobbying from tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food industries that block or delay life-saving measures such as health taxes and marketing restrictions.
“It is unacceptable that commercial interests are profiting from increasing deaths and disease,” said Dr Etienne Krug, 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.”
WHO said scaling up its ‘Best Buys’—a package of 29 proven interventions such as taxing tobacco and alcohol, reducing sugary drink consumption, hypertension management, and cervical cancer screening—would cost only an additional US$3 per person per year on average. By 2030, this could prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes, add 150 million healthy life years, and generate substantial economic returns.
Dr Devora Kestel, Director of WHO’s Department for NCDs and Mental Health, said decisive action now would determine the future. “We know what works. The time to act is now. 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.”
The WHO report comes just days ahead of the Fourth United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on NCDs and mental health, set for September 25 in New York, where Heads of State and Government are expected to adopt an ambitious Political Declaration to accelerate action. The meeting, WHO said, represents the most significant political opportunity of the decade to chart a new course for prevention, treatment, and well-being worldwide.
WHO has called on leaders, partners and communities to secure financing through domestic budgets, health taxes and targeted aid, expand access to essential medicines and technologies, protect children from harmful marketing, and set bold national targets with accountability mechanisms. It said the global community must confront commercial interference in health policy and move with urgency to prevent millions of premature deaths.
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