Leads in the fight against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health have been called upon to turn their commitment into action at the upcoming 4th United Nations High-Level Meeting.
The UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health will be held on September 25, 2025, in New York.
The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Ghana and the NCD Alliance, Ghana, civil society organisations made the call in a joint statement copied to the Ghana News Agency.
They said, “Let the meeting be a moment when commitments turned into action, when plans became reality, and when promises gave way to progress.”
They added, “Let this meeting be remembered as the moment when governments drew a line in the sand. A moment when leaders stood together and declared that public health will reign, not commercial influence.”
The statement said NCDs, and mental health conditions have emerged as some of the greatest threats to human development, economies, and to the very dignity of societies.
“The diseases account for more than 74 per cent of deaths worldwide, cutting lives short, driving families into poverty, and straining health systems,” it stated.
It said, “Behind these statistics are real human beings: children growing up without parents, communities robbed of their most productive citizens, and nations bearing the weight of diseases that are largely preventable.”
The statement said at High-Level Meeting the message must be clear, stressing that, “The era where commercial interests dictate health policies must end.
“The world can no longer afford to prioritize the profits of industries that thrive on products causing harm over the health and well-being of our people. Tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages are not just consumer goods.
“They are drivers of disease, suffering, and death. Governments must Act Now with courage to protect their citizens, not the corporate bottom line.”
The statement said leadership means more than words, adding, “Leadership requires action, resources, and accountability. Proven interventions exist. The WHO Global Action Plan on NCDs 2013-2030 provides the blueprint.
“What is missing is the political will to fully implement it. Leaders must now step forward and accelerate bold implementation of these life-saving measures. Every second of delay means millions of preventable deaths and escalating costs to health systems and economies.”
The statement said financing was central to implementing policies and that many countries have complained of lack of resources to address NCDs and mental health, while simultaneously losing revenue opportunities by failing to implement effective health taxes.
“Increasing domestic revenue mobilization, especially through tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages taxation, is not only a smart economic policy but a moral imperative,” it noted.
It said health taxes save lives by reducing consumption of harmful products, while generating significant revenue that could strengthen health systems, expand mental health services, and ensure access to affordable medicines and technologies.
“This is not a burden on economies; it is an investment in prosperity,” it pointed out.
The statement said access to care remained a fundamental challenge and that many people living with NCDs are denied essential medicines, diagnostics, and treatment due to cost or unavailability.
“Governments must commit to removing these barriers. Universal Health Coverage is incomplete without effective and equitable NCD and mental health services,” it urged.
It said this would mean the scaling up of primary health care, ensuring a steady supply of essential medicines, and training health workers to provide compassionate, continuous, and comprehensive care.
“Every decision taken must place the person living with NCDs and mental health conditions at the centre, recognizing their right to a life of dignity, inclusion, and opportunity,” the statement said
It stated, “The people are watching. CSOs, young people, health professionals, and communities around the world demand nothing less than decisive leadership.
“History will judge whether leaders had the courage to put people before profits, health before industry influence, and the future before short-term political expediency. The time to act is now.”
“Governments must walk into the UN High-Level Meeting with clarity of purpose: commit to lead the charge on NCDs and mental health, accelerate the adoption of proven, cost-effective interventions, raise domestic financing through health taxes, and protect policy from industry interference,” the statement said.
It concluded, saying “Anything less will be an abdication of responsibility to those who elected you, to those who suffer in silence, and to the generations yet to come.”
Source: GNA
The post NCDs and mental health leads urged to turn commitment into action at UN meeting appeared first on Ghana Business News.
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