Your Excellency President Akufo-Addo,
Dear Michael Bloomberg,
Prime Minister Mottley,
Prime Minister Sovaleni,
Prime Minister Mata’afa,
Prime Minister Jugnauth,
State Secretary Kukies,
All protocol observed.
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
I would like to thank our Chair President Akufo-Addo and Prime Minister Støre for their leadership in the fight against noncommunicable diseases.
NCDs affect us all. We have all lost someone we love to heart disease, cancer, diabetes or respiratory disease.
Many of us in this room suffer from an NCD or a related condition – including me.
Every year, an estimated 17 million people die prematurely from NCDs – one every two seconds, on average.
Roughly 86% of those deaths are in low-and middle-income countries.
NCDs are a threat to global health, equity, and development.
They destroy lives, livelihoods, families, communities and economies.
In the Sustainable Development Goals, countries have set a target to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by one third by 2030.
On current trends, we will not reach that target without dramatic action and dynamic leadership at the highest political level.
So I am delighted and honoured that such a distinguished group of world leaders is joining the Global Group of Heads of State and Government for NCD prevention and control, which will champion action on NCDs nationally and globally.
I also welcome the commitment by world leaders to meet every year between now and the High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2025, as you work to build momentum towards that major milestone.
Earlier this year, President Akufo-Addo and Prime Minister Store launched the Global NCD Compact, committing to save 50 million lives by 2030. We thank Ghana and Norway for their leadership.
The commitment is to protect people living with NCDs in humanitarian emergencies;
To support access to quality, essential health services;
To strengthen surveillance and monitoring systems for NCDs;
And to engage people living with NCDs and mental health conditions on policy work.
The Global Group of Heads of State and Government will play a crucial role in fulfilling these commitments.
WHO is fully committed to supporting all countries to put in place the most effective policies and programmes to prevent suffering and save lives.
Today, I am pleased to launch a new WHO report, called Invisible Numbers, and a data portal that gives governments the evidence and information needed to implement cost-effective policies that are proven to reduce NCDs, such as taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks.
By investing under US$1 per person, per year until 2030, 10 million heart attacks and strokes could be averted and 50 million healthy life years gained.
The benefits go far beyond health, with payoffs for economies and health security.
Finally, making progress against NCDs requires champions.
I’d like to thank our co-host Michael Bloomberg for his leadership working to save lives from NCDs.
Today it’s my honour to reappoint him as WHO’s Global Ambassador for NCDs and Injuries.
Mike’s leadership and advocacy are major assets in our shared mission to fight NCDs and build healthier cities.
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investments in public health include major initiatives to reduce tobacco and youth e-cigarette use, support healthy food policy, and improve road safety, as well as the Partnership for Healthy Cities.
Initiatives like these, and the evidence-based policies in WHO’s report, show that preventing, tracking, treating and managing
NCDs is both affordable and achievable, with economic and social repercussions far beyond health.
Thank you once again, Your Excellency President Akufo-Addo, Mike and all of you for your partnership in the fight against NCDs.
I thank you.