The world is facing a health crisis of enormous proportions
The world is facing a health crisis of enormous proportions, one that often remains in the shadows.
This is not a pandemic of infectious disease, but a silent epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Every year, these diseases claim 18 million premature lives. At the same time, more than a billion people worldwide suffer from mental disorders, placing a huge burden on society and the economy.
Against the backdrop of these alarming figures, world leaders at the UN General Assembly took a historic step by adopting a political declaration that could radically change the global approach to health care.
Scientists at the State Institution «Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine» have analyzed this document in detail and emphasize that it is the first such declaration to address noncommunicable diseases and mental health together and marks a unique opportunity to accelerate global progress through a set of specific goals for 2030.
Thus, we are entering an era of full integration of physical and mental well-being.
An integrated approach is the central idea of the declaration, as reflected in its title: «Equality and integration: changing lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on non-communicable diseases and promoting mental health and well-being.»
This means that the world has finally recognized that a healthy mind and a healthy body are inseparable.
Unlike previous commitments, which were often vague, the new declaration sets three clear, measurable, and extremely ambitious global targets for “accelerated” implementation by 2030:
- 150 million fewer tobacco users;
- 150 million more people with hypertension under control;
- 150 million more people with access to mental health care.
The declaration significantly expands the range of influencing factors that our Institute has been researching for decades:
- Environmental determinants: a special focus on air quality, water safety, and the impact of heavy metals (particularly lead).
- Digital threats: recognition of the harm caused by excessive screen time and misinformation as health risk factors.
- Equity: ensuring access to medicines and prevention even in the most difficult times for a country.
The world has received a roadmap for combating some of the greatest threats to humanity. These global goals are ambitious and inspiring, but the real question is how we, as scientists and practitioners, will translate these commitments into real change and the implementation of the «Health in All Policies» strategy.
The State Institution «Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine» is ready to provide scientific guidance, methodological support, and develop an evidence base for the implementation of these ambitious goals in Ukraine.
Links to WHO materials:
https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/L.34
(date of publication on the website: 08.01.2026)