PD 12 - Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The world has spent more than US$ 16.55 trillion on COVID-19 response – 15.9% of the global GDP. This amount can fund all targets and indicators under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 up to 2030. As we have been focused on responding to this unprecedented health crisis for almost two years now, concentration of resources to mitigate the pandemic has happened at the expense of other urgent health priorities, particularly non-communicable disease (NCD) care. COVID-19 has been putting pressure on already fragile health systems all around the world, and NCD patients are suffering catastrophic consequences as a result, struggling to get proper access to treatment. This is all the more concerning as underlying NCD conditions are driving higher COVID-19 mortality rates, as shown in our research. As the world is still navigating through this pandemic, The Defeat-NCD Partnership is hosting a high-level panel discussion at the World Health Summit to reflect on sustainable ways to address both COVID-19 and NCDs in an integrated way. This event will bring together stakeholders from governments, multilateral development banks, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the private sector to highlight the intersection of COVID-19 and NCDs as well as reflect on practical solutions and partnerships to leverage COVID-19 response efforts to support better health outcomes for NCDs. The event will also showcase examples of political commitments to ensure better access to NCD care.