The World Health Organization this morning launched the Global Status Report on NCDs in Geneva. 

The Report assesses progress made on each of the nine targets set out in the Global NCD Action Plan, as well as including two chapers dedicated to development and implementation of national multisectoral action plans to attain national targets, and prescribed outstanding actions to attain the targets. The Reportprovides information on "best buys" and also case studies of success in various areas at the national level.

“The global community has the chance to change the course of the NCD epidemic,” says WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. “By investing just US$1-3 dollars per person per year, countries can dramatically reduce illness and death from NCDs. In 2015, every country needs to set national targets and implement cost-effective actions. If they do not, millions of lives will continue to be lost too soon.”

Most premature NCD deaths are preventable. Of the 38 million lives lost to NCDs in 2012, 16 million or 42% were premature and avoidable – an increase of 14.6 million compared to 2000.

“Our world possesses the knowledge and resources to achieve the nine global NCD targets by 2025,” says Dr Oleg Chestnov, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health. “Falling short of the targets would be unacceptable. If we miss this opportunity to set national targets in 2015 and work towards attaining our promises in 2025, we will have failed to address one of the major challenges for development in the 21st century.”

Katie Dain, Executive Director of the NCD Alliance, spoke at the launch alongside Ambassadors from Member States and representatives from the Uniten Nations Development Programme, the World Economic Forum, the International Olympic Committee and the University of Lausanne.

Click here to view the press release.

Photo courtesy: WHO, 2015