World leaders commit to the Global Compact on Noncommunicable Diseases to save 50 million lives by 2030.

• Michael R. Bloomberg reappointed World Health Organization Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries
• A new Gallup poll indicates strong global support for policies outlined in a WHO report to combat the growing public health burden of noncommunicable diseases

Today, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, released a new report calling on global leaders to take urgent action on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), responsible for 17 million premature deaths each year.

To accelerate action, Dr. Tedros renewed the two-year appointment of Michael R. Bloomberg as WHO’s Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. This is Bloomberg’s third reappointment as ambassador, having first been appointed to the role in 2016.

The announcement came at the first annual gathering of the Group of Heads of State and Government for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases, led by the President of Ghana and the Prime Minister of Norway ^[1], held during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This follows the launch of a Global NCD Compact earlier this year by Ghana and Norway.

To mark the occasion, the WHO released a new report, “Invisible numbers: The real scale of non-communicable diseasesia data portal which brings together for the first time all World Health Organization data related to NCDs for 194 countries. The report and portal highlight the extent of the global burden of NCDs, the risk factors and the progress each country is making in its efforts to combat these diseases and conditions. Every two seconds, someone under the age of 70 somewhere in the world dies from an NCD. Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and lung disease now outnumber communicable diseases as the world’s leading killers.

“This report is a reminder of the true scale of the threat posed by NCDs and their risk factors,” said Dr Tedros. “There are cost-effective and globally applicable NCD interventions that every country, regardless of income level, can and should use and benefit from – saving lives and saving money. I thank President Afuko-Addo, Prime Minister Støre and Michael Bloomberg for their leadership and vision in addressing this major global health issue.”

Bloomberg’s reappointment comes at a critical time for public health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people living with non-communicable diseases faced worse outcomes than those without them. Today, Gallup has published a new survey commissioned by the WHO and Bloomberg Philanthropies which found that the majority of respondents in the five countries surveyed – including Colombia, India, Jordan, the United Republic of Tanzania and the United States of America – ranked NCDs or risk factors for NCDs as the biggest health problem in their country.

Public awareness of the links between NCDs and their risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity is low. Nevertheless, the majority of people surveyed in all countries support a number of proven interventions and policies that can reduce NCD mortality, such as including more green spaces in urban health design and increasing tobacco taxes.

“As we continue to respond to this pandemic and prepare for the next, we have seen the critical importance of addressing the main risk factor for hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 – non-communicable diseases,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and WHO Global Ambassador. for non-communicable diseases and injuries. “Non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease and cancer are the world’s biggest silent killers – but they can often be prevented by investing in proven, cost-effective interventions. I look forward to continuing life-saving investments in NCDs and injury prevention with Dr Tedros and WHO.”

As a global ambassador for the World Health Organization, Bloomberg will continue to support global, national and local efforts to protect people from noncommunicable diseases and injuries. This work also advances the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3.4) to reduce global NCD deaths by one-third through high-impact population-level policies and programs implemented in cities around the world.

NCDs cause almost three quarters of deaths in the world. Each year, 17 million people under the age of 70 die from noncommunicable diseases, 86 percent of whom live in low- and middle-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the burden of NCDs by delaying and interrupting care, and in the first months of the pandemic, 75 percent of countries reported disruptions to essential NCD services due to quarantine restrictions and resource diversion. Although every United Nations member state has pledged to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030 – an effort that could save millions of lives – few countries are currently on track to achieve this. Urgent global efforts are needed to get back on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases.

^[1] Group of Heads of State and Government launched the Global Compact on Noncommunicable Diseases in April 2022 in Accra, Ghana, at the International Strategic Dialogue on Noncommunicable Diseases.

About the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 member countries, in six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. By connecting countries, people and partners, we strive to give everyone, everywhere an equal opportunity for a safe and healthy life.

About Michael Bloomberg’s work in public health

An international leader in public health issues, Bloomberg’s public health investments include major life-saving initiatives to reduce smoking and e-cigarette use among youth through more than 1 billion dollar investment, support healthy food policies, reduce drowning and improve road safety and maternal health, among other things. In 2016, he launched American Health Initiative at Johns Hopkins University to tackle declining life expectancy in the United States, and in 2017 launched Partnership for healthy cities, a global network of 70 cities dedicated to reducing noncommunicable diseases and injuries. Most recently, Bloomberg Philanthropies invested an additional 115 million dollars in global public health nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives – bringing the total investment to $215 million – to continue preventing deaths from heart disease.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 941 cities and 173 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas to create lasting change: the arts, education, the environment, government innovation and public health.

Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate and personal philanthropy, as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consulting firm working in cities around the world. In 2021, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.66 billion. For more information, visit bloomberg.org