The number of people displaced by natural disasters, conflict and other factors continues to grow. In 2023, 299 million people needed humanitarian assistance and protection, (10% more than at the end of 2022, according to the Global Humanitarian Overview 2024). Many of them are living with noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, but until recently their specific needs were virtually ignored in planning for disaster relief and recovery. That is slowly changing.

From 27 to 29 February, UN Member States will meet at the Global high-level technical meeting on noncommunicable diseases in humanitarian settings. Organised by the World Health Organization and the UN refugee agency, the closed meeting in Copenhagen will assemble NCD, emergency, refugee, and health systems experts, along with UN agencies, academic bodies and non-state actors, all dedicated to strengthening the integration of NCDs in humanitarian responses.

Ahead of the meeting, NCD Alliance published the briefing paper, Neglected and in crisis: NCDs as a priority in humanitarian settings, which contains many recommendations on improving how NCDs can be better included in humanitarian responses. Today, we’re speaking with two people who will be closely watching the results of that meeting. Dr Catherine Karekezi is the executive director of the NCD Alliance Kenya, and Megan Sheridan is the Programme Manager of the Global Oncology Network of the US-based organisation Direct Relief.


'Voices of the Health Revolution' is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Discover more about the Global Week for Action on NCDs: actonncds.org
#ActOnNCDs

Integrating NCDs in humanitarian settings

Today we’re speaking with Anu Gomanju and Edith Mukantwari, advocates for strengthening the global response to NCDs and both themselves living with NCDs. Anu works with the NCDI Poverty Network as well as patient and family organizations such as the Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts, while Edith is Executive Director of the Africa Diabetes Alliance. Both our guests stress that the NCD response must move beyond treating people living with NCDs in a token way, to one of meeting their needs so they can live productive, healthy lives. This includes providing resources so that people living with NCDs can contribute meaningfully to preparations for the 4th High-Level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being, in September this year.

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Learn more: ncdalliance.org 

Meaningful engagement includes resources

La Alianza de ENT lanzó en 2024 el Llamamiento a liderar las ENT como una herramienta esencial de sensibilización, instando a todos los gobiernos a avanzar en sus compromisos en la prevención y control de ENT. Hace un llamado a los líderes mundiales a tomar decisiones efectivas en la próxima Reunión de Alto Nivel de la ONU sobre la prevención y control de ENT y la promoción de la salud mental y el bienestar, que tendrá lugar el próximo 25 de Septiembre en Nueva York. La carta está abierta a la firma de la sociedad civil, incluyendo organizaciones e individuos.¿Qué significa liderar en materia de ENT en 2025?

¿Cómo podemos generar presión para que los gobiernos actúen? Nuestra coordinadora de la Campaña de la Semana Mundial de Acción, Gina Sánchez, analizó estas preguntas y la carta abierta con Jimena Márquez, Directora de Comunicación de Alianza de ENT, en este episodio de Voces de la Revolución de la Salud.

Súmate al Llamamiento: https://actonncds.org/take-action/call-to-lead-on-ncds 

Llamamiento a liderar las ENT (Spanish edition)

After working together for years addressing cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) at city level, colleagues at C/Can and Roche looked back at the high and low points of their partnership. Each organisation then decided independently that it was time to create a framework to help structure their multisector collaboration and share their learnings with others interested in partnerships. They brought in outside experts and after about a year produced their Collaboration Framework, a tool that has been spotlighted by the World Economic Forum. In this episode, we’re speaking with Harold Cottin, Head of Global Public Affairs at C/Can, and Fernando Arnaiz, Access Lead for low- and mid-income countries at Roche, about the journey to create the framework.

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Learn more: ncdalliance.org 

Framing a CSO/private sector partnership

Fiscal policies for the NCD response go beyond taxes on harmful products like tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Kenya has recently applied a two percent levy on all tobacco products manufactured or imported into the country. It will be a “game changer” says one of the guests on today’s episode, Celine Awuor, CEO of the International Institute for Legislative Affairs. On the other hand, action on alcohol lags behind that of tobacco, in part because of society’s continued acceptance of alcohol use. That emboldens the alcohol industry, says our second guest, Jacqui Drope, who leads the RESET programme at Vital Strategies. “When our technical teams are walking in the door to meet with government officials, Big Alcohol is just walking out of the room.”

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Learn more: ncdalliance.org 

How fiscal policy can save lives

This is a special episode of the show. Earlier this year, on the sidelines of the Global NCDA Forum in Rwanda, Dr Mohammed M Seyam and Maleeqah Karriem recorded one of a series of Leadership Dialogues created for NCDA's Time to Lead campaign. In the conversation, they share insights into their NCD advocacy journeys — and why they are speaking up not only for themselves, but also for their communities and all people living with NCDs. "Ideas start with only one person talking about something, and then the group would talk about it, and then a community would talk about it, and then slowly, with a campaign like this, the whole world can talk about what we do and what we want to do," says Mohammed.

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Discover more Leadership dialogues: https://actonncds.org/stories/leadership-dialogues

Young people leading on NCDs (Leadership Dialogues edition)

In this episode we’re speaking about leadership with the new President of the NCD Alliance Board of Directors, Leslie Rae Ferat, in the context of the huge challenges posed by the upcoming High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4). Also Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control, Leslie received a Luther L. Terry Award at the World Conference on Tobacco and Health in June for her pioneering work. While the tobacco control movement continues to contend with industry interference and a major funding gap, Leslie says it can offer the broader NCDs response the tool of tobacco taxes, which, along with other health taxes, should be a easy investment decision for governments.

As a leader, Leslie says her priorities will be to: encourage collaboration, create platforms to raise the voices of people living with NCDs, and champion evidence-based advocacy. “The two big priorities for us will be really solid outcomes at the High-Level Meeting and putting into place a sound and innovative strategy for the next four to five years for the NCDA,” adds the NCDA President.

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Find out more: actonncds.org

Time to Lead: A conversation with Leslie Rae Ferat, NCDA's new chair

The guests in this episode are Liz Arnanz Daugan, Policy and Advocacy Manager at NCD Alliance, and Owen Jackson, Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK (CRUK). They chat about the leadership role that civil society, including organisations like CRUK, plays in bringing about policy changes to create healthier environments. Examples in the UK include new legislation to create the first ever smokeless generation and a law banning advertising of unhealthy foods. Collaboration with other organisations and the ability to adapt to a fast-changing environment are keys to success, notes Owen. This is another episode from our Leadership Dialogue series, conversations recorded in early 2025 for our Time to Lead campaign, which will culminate in the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, on 25 September 2025.



Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.



Discover more Leadership dialogues: actonncds.org/stories/leadership-dialogues

A dialogue on NCD prevention and solutions (Leadership Dialogues edition)

Hon Jahnel Nisbett says she knew her government’s awareness-raising on NCDs was working when a schoolgirl corrected the Sweet Potato Pie recipe that she was reading out to the girl’s class. “No —that’s too much sugar!” she exclaimed. The Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis has the third highest NCDs mortality rate in the Americas, according to the Pan American Health Organization. In today’s episode Nisbett, Minister of Health, Gender and Social Development in the Nevis Administration, outlines the unique challenges faced by the country and its responses to date to the growing epidemic. 


Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Discover more: actonncds.org

Small island, big moves on NCDs

In this episode of Voices of the Health Revolution, Gina Sanchez speaks with Dr Téa Collins from the World Health Organization and Tamara Schudel from Roche about the WHO Young Researchers Programme — a global initiative strengthening research capacity in low- and middle-income countries to tackle noncommunicable diseases and mental health challenges. The conversation explores how empowering early-career researchers and fostering multisector partnerships can accelerate progress on NCDs and drive innovation where it’s needed most.

Voices of the Health Revolution is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are leading bold action to protect our universal right to health - even when that means taking a stand against the big industries who threaten it.

Discover more: actonncds.org
