The World Health Organization and partners will raise global awareness during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on progress to address a range of critical issues impacting people’s health worldwide, and urgent work that needs to be scaled up.
These will include protecting people from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases; advocating for mental health; addressing the common risks caused by tobacco, unhealthy diet, alcohol, physical inactivity and also climate change; and finding solutions to raise resources to finance national health systems. Promoting peace as the best medicine to protect health and end conflicts in various parts of the world will also feature prominently during UNGA.
On 25 September, the Fourth UNHA High-level Meeting on NCDs and Mental health will be held, providing a status check on efforts to protect people from the world’s leading killers.
Combined, the four major NCDs account for 74% of all deaths globally. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is expected to address the opening of this event, joined by leadership of the United Nations, Member States and other key partners.
In addition, strategic events held on 24 September, in collaboration with partners, including the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum, will focus on how pro-health taxes on harmful products such as tobacco can protect people’s health and raise needed resources for national health services. The challenge of the global obesity epidemic will also be a subject of major attention. In addition, WHO will release the Global Hypertension Report during the Assembly, warning that uncontrolled high blood pressure remains one of the world’s leading causes of premature death.
This year’s General Assembly takes place at a critical time for the multilateral system as it adapts to a range of new realities. WHO has been working closely with fellow UN agencies, through the UN80 Initiative, to improve efficiencies in its operations while remaining committed to deliver on its mission of advancing health for all.
WHO and partners will also be advocating for action to reduce the threats to health that people face worldwide from the impacts of conflicts, such as those in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, climate change and diseases such as polio.