The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
UNOPS is in the fight against non-communicable diseases
Officially launched today at a side event of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, a UNOPS-hosted partnership aims to help tackle the most significant global health problem of our time.
The Defeat-NCD Partnership* prioritizes non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in least-developed and low-income countries, with a focus on fighting premature death, sickness, disability, and the associated social and economic impacts of selected NCDs.
“We already have in our hands many of the tools and knowledge to fight this new endemic, if we organize and fund our ambitions,” said UNOPS Executive Director Grete Faremo, at the launch event.
“I would like to thank the Government of Denmark, the European Commission, Novo Nordisk and Roche for their pioneering efforts in helping to initiate The Defeat-NCD Partnership. The encouragement we have received from the World Health Organization and its Independent High-Level Commission on NCDs has also been instrumental,” added Ms. Faremo.
- *As of 31 July 2019, UNOPS no longer hosts the Defeat-NCDs initiative.
What are NCDs?
NCDs are also known as chronic diseases. The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, NCDs kill 41 million people each year, and account for over 71 percent of all deaths. Of this, a disproportionate 32 million deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Learn more about The Defeat-NCD Partnership here.
Read the full press release here.
Read UNOPS Executive Director Grete Faremo’s full remarks at The Defeat-NCD Partnership launch event here.
