New York, December 17, 2025 – In a groundbreaking move for global public health, world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly have formally adopted a historic political declaration integrating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges for the first time.
The declaration, titled Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods Through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-Being, was approved on December 15-16, 2025, following months of intergovernmental negotiations. It builds on a high-level UN meeting held in September 2025 and marks the most comprehensive global commitment yet to addressing these intertwined health threats.
Noncommunicable diseases – including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions – remain the world’s leading cause of death, claiming around 18 million premature lives annually, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Mental health conditions, meanwhile, impact over one billion people worldwide, exacerbated by shared risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and air pollution.
The new declaration introduces ambitious “fast-track” outcome targets for 2030, a significant evolution from prior commitments:
Reduce global tobacco users by 150 million;
Bring hypertension under control for an additional 150 million people;
Provide mental health care access to an additional 150 million people.
It also outlines measurable process targets, such as ensuring at least 80% of countries implement key policies, regulatory measures, and multisectoral plans, while improving access to essential medicines and surveillance systems.
The agreement expands its scope to emerging issues, including oral health, childhood cancer, environmental risks like air pollution and hazardous chemicals, and digital harms such as excessive screen time and misinformation. It emphasizes stronger regulations on e-cigarettes, marketing of unhealthy foods to children, and trans fats elimination, while prioritizing equity for vulnerable groups, including those in humanitarian settings and climate-impacted regions.
Despite initial procedural objections from a few member states that delayed consensus in September, the declaration received overwhelming support and was adopted near-unanimously.
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“The adoption of these bold targets to control noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health is a testament to the commitment of Member States to protect the health of their people,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Together, we can change the trajectory of NCDs and mental health, and deliver health, well-being and opportunity for all.”
Advocacy groups hailed the decision as a major step forward. The NCD Alliance called it a “significant milestone,” urging swift implementation and sustained resources to turn commitments into real-world impact.
The declaration calls for increased domestic and international financing, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, and robust accountability, with the UN Secretary-General set to report on progress by 2030.
Health experts say this integrated framework could reshape global efforts, especially as NCDs and mental health issues hinder economic productivity and sustainable development worldwide. Implementation at the national level will be key to achieving these transformative goals.
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Global Health Milestone: UN Adopts Landmark Declaration Setting Bold Targets to Combat NCDs and Mental Health Crisis
