Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Global leaders at the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopt a declaration integrating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health into a single global health agenda, marking a historic shift in international health policy.
The declaration, adopted on Tuesday after months of intergovernmental negotiations following a high-level meeting in September, is the first comprehensive framework to jointly address NCDs and mental health conditions, which together pose one of the world’s gravest public health and economic threats.
Noncommunicable diseases — including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illnesses — cause an estimated 18 million premature deaths each year, mostly among people under 70. Mental health conditions affect more than one billion people globally, with both challenges driven by shared risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and environmental pollution.
Under the declaration, countries commit to ambitious “fast-track” targets by 2030. These include reducing tobacco use by 150 million people, improving blood pressure control for another 150 million, and expanding access to quality mental health care for an additional 150 million people worldwide.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomes the decision as a turning point. “The adoption of these bold targets is a testament to Member States’ commitment to protect the health of their people,” he says. “Together, we can change the trajectory of NCDs and mental health, and deliver health, well-being and opportunity for all.”
Health experts say the declaration places equity at its core, calling for stronger primary health systems, sustainable financing, and coordinated action beyond the health sector. Without urgent implementation, they warn, the growing burden of NCDs and mental illness will continue to undermine productivity, deepen inequalities and strain fragile health systems.
About the Author
Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 