Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the world’s leading cause of death, and their burden is growing fastest in developing countries. By 2030, an estimated 52 million people will die from NCDs annually—three-quarters of them in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where cardiometabolic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes are rising sharply. Despite the fact that up to 80% of NCDs can be prevented or delayed with affordable interventions, inadequate financing, fragile health systems, and limited access to care have led to devastating, avoidable outcomes.
This issue brief, produced by FP Analytics with support from Sanofi, outlines the urgent need to close the health financing gap to combat NCDs in the developing world. It identifies key priorities, including domestic resource mobilisation, stronger health infrastructure, and cross-sectoral collaboration. With global development assistance for health in decline, the report calls for coordinated action from governments, donors, the private sector, and civil society to mitigate the NCD crisis and ensure equitable, sustainable health gains.