ESMO welcomes the United Nations Secretary-General’s report on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) , which outlines global progress in preventing and controlling cancer and other NCDs, and promoting mental health.
The Society has played a vital role in shaping the report’s recommendations, particularly advocating for comprehensive cancer care as part of Universal Health coverage (UHC). The report serves as a preparatory document for the upcoming Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on NCDs in September 2025, where 193 Member States are expected to adopt a political declaration reinforcing global NCD reduction commitments.
ESMO’s input is well reflected in the ‘Recommendations for consideration by Member States during the negotiations on the 2025 political declaration on NCDs’:
- One of ESMO’s key contributions concerns health systems strengthening, advocating for continuum of care from primary to secondary and tertiary levels where patients with cancer are predominately treated, ensuring seamless service provision throughout the referral process, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
- The recommendations underscore the need to enhance NCD workforce capacity through increased training, staffing supportive supervision, and professional development - all vital aspects to optimise cancer care delivery that ESMO has highlighted.
- ESMO’s call to integrate cancer prevention and care into health emergency and pandemic preparedness and response, including mental health and psychosocial support to healthcare workforce, is acknowledged.
- The report resonates with ESMO calls to restrict the advertising of tobacco and to tackle air pollution.
ESMO remains committed to advocating for evidence-based policies that benefit cancer patients and their carers globally, especially as the report highlights that the world remains off track to meet the Sustainable Development 2030 target of reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third.