The primary aim of the UK Working Group on NCDs is to draw attention to – and encourage action to address – the growing burden of NCDs as an international development priority.
We advocate that the UK government should:
- take a cross-departmental approach to implementing SDG commitments and the WHO’s voluntary targets on NCDs, coordinating across global health and with a strong focus on NCD prevention and control, framed appropriately for different departments;
- recognise that appropriate resourcing of NCDs is an urgent priority, and increase the UK’s Overseas Development Assistance directed to tackling NCD prevention and control alongside existing investments in global health; and
- create opportunities for capacity-building and technical assistance, combining learning from others with UK thought-leadership – for example the UK’s strong track record in research, on tobacco control, mental health and neurological conditions and the levy on sugar-sweetened beverages.
In 2020, the UK Working Group focused particularly on the response to COVID-19.
Activities
The UK Working Group was founded in early 2018, ahead of the United Nations High-level Meeting on NCDs, held in September that year, which provided a rallying point for coordination and advocacy around the need for NCDs to be a priority for international development. Read more here
In 2019, the Working Group focused on the lead-up to the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, advocating for NCD prevention and control be included as a core component. Read more here
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the UK Working Group on NCDs pivoted its attention to the distinctive links between COVID-19 and chronic conditions, sharing activities on Twitter and coordinating the thinking of members with regular online meetings. More information and resources from member organisations can be found here.
Our logo represents the five major risk factors (poor diet, tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use and air pollution) and five major NCDs (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease and mental health/neurological conditions) identified by the WHO. The circles represent the need to address these holistically and worldwide.
COVID-19 & NCDs
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the UK Working Group on NCDs has pivoted its attention to the clear links between COVID-19 and chronic conditions. Working Group members are coordinating and sharing resources.
UHC & NCDs
In 2019, the Working Group on NCDs focused on the lead-up to the first United Nations High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), advocating for NCD prevention and control be included as a core component of strong health systems.
Development & NCDs
The UK Working Group was founded in early 2018, ahead of the third United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs. It was a rallying point for coordination and advocacy on the need for NCDs to be an international development priority.
Active members of the global NCD movement
In early 2020, members of the UK Working Group on NCDs attended the third Global NCD Alliance Forum in Sharjah, UAE – an invaluable opportunity to meet other NCD alliances and civil-society organisations from around the world, focused on NCDs.
UK Working Group on NCDs 