Honourable Ministers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – goodmorning.

I would like to thank the Government of Denmark and the World Health Organization for inviting me to open this very important WHO Global Dialogue on Partnerships for Sustainable Financing of Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Prevention and Control. As Patron of WHO/Europe I’m very pleased to be present here today and to also have the opportunity to warmly welcome you all to my home, Denmark and the city of Copenhagen.

We all know that the world is not the same as it was yesterday and that we live in constant change. Today, we are more aware of the global health challenges and of their interconnected nature and these include;

• the unfinished agenda of infectious diseases,
• HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, and antimicrobial resistance,
• difficulties in tackling maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health issues, particularly in low-resource settings,
• ageing populations, health emergencies, and the
• growing awareness of the impact of climate change on the health of vulnerable populations. 

So why talk about NCDs now? After all, we have heard the argument that living with chronic NCDs may indicate a higher level of development as more and more people survive the health challenges of childhood and live today long enough to suffer from chronic diseases, and that ultimately, we all have to die of something.

This argument obviously does not hold true. NCDs kill more people than any other disease. The burden from the major NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes, is growing globally, and it is growing faster in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems are weak and the resources for adequate national responses to NCDs are not readily available.

On the positive side, the picture is not all bleak. The probability of dying from any of the four major NCDs has declined globally by 14% between 2000 and 2015. And WHO has even more encouraging statistics to show. According to the latest data from the WHO NCD Progress Monitor:

• 92 countries have set national targets to address NCDs, up from 59 countries in 2015
• 94 countries have implemented operational multi-sectoral strategies to address NCDs, compared to 64 in 2015 and
• 90 countries have development guidelines for managing the four major NCDs, up from 50 in 2015.

This progress - good as it is - is clearly not enough. What impact has that progress had on people’s health? NCDs kill women and men prematurely; when they are still young and should be productive and contributing to the welfare of their communities. In 2015, 15 million people died prematurely and 47% (7 million) of these deaths took place in low- and middle-income countries. NCDs kill mothers, children and the most vulnerable. They impair quality of life, cause insurmountable human suffering and inflict high costs on households, health systems and country economies.

The good news is that NCDs are largely preventable and, in many cases, they are also treatable. Inadequate financing of the health sector is a common problem. Health systems have to continuously compete for funds, and the limited resources that are allocated to the health sector are not always spent on the most cost-effective interventions.

The added challenge is that comprehensive NCD prevention and control go beyond health systems and require whole-of-society and whole-of-government action in order to make a real difference. Some say political will is needed at the highest level. And we have witnessed an unprecedented mobilization of global leaders – Heads of States and Governments – coming together at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meetings on NCD prevention and control in 2011 and 2014 to pledge their commitments and tackle the major developmental challenges that are affecting us all.

However, the global commitments have not yet been translated into tangible outcomes at country level – people continue to be left-behind. Perhaps expectations were too high at that time, and the complexity of the problem from all angles was not clear. But now, the global health community has a better understanding and more experience, which is essential in preparation for going into the third High-level meeting on NCD prevention and control.

As countries move forward with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, scaling up their efforts toward universal health coverage (UHC) to meet SDG3.4 and reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one third and to improve mental health and well-being, more guidance will be required on how to develop policies and programs that underscore the need for greater intersectoral coherence, integration and coordination of efforts.  Engaging in partnerships and truly embracing an all stakeholders’ approach, from all sectors; to raise awareness, mobilize resources and make NCD prevention and care available to all and affordable for all.

The question is: Are we truly prepared to deliver on the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

Looking around, I see seasoned global health leaders, young professionals, committed individuals and advocates who have come together from all over the world to debate issues, exchange ideas, share experiences and offer new and innovative solutions. Today’s dialogue is about financing and resource mobilization to tackle NCDs, but it is also about partnerships, about creating a shared value, a collective impact, it’s about working towards the common goal.

We may not have all the answers – yet - but I’m confident that we are on the right path.

In closing, I would like to take a moment and once again thank the government of Denmark and WHO for their leadership, and particularly the Global Coordination Mechanism for bringing us together at this important time. My thanks extend further to the sponsoring organizations, including the World Diabetes Foundation, World Economic Forum, NCD Alliance and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).

Today’s dialogue meeting is a strong example of the power of partnerships to create shared value, a collective impact, and unity. In short, working together to make things happen.

Thank you very much for your attention!