Global health leaders convene in Kampala to advance access to care for noncommunicable diseases

2025 represents a pivotal moment to advocate for greater focus and investment in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). As the world prepares for September’s High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4), Uganda will host a global convening to catalyze action on access to lifesaving NCD medicines and health products.

From June 25-27, 2025, leading health officials, policymakers, innovators, and advocates from around the world will convene at Speke Resort Munyonyo for the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines & Products’ (Coalition) Annual Meeting.

This year’s meeting—Prepare, Declare, and Act—comes at a critical moment. Millions of individuals living with NCDs in low- and middle-income countries continue to face preventable deaths and high health care costs due to persisting barriers accessing affordable and convenient screening and care. Future uncertainty in global health financing, coupled with domestic financing constraints faced by many low-and-middle-income countries, further reinforces the need to make tangible progress towards sustainable financing for NCDs.

Looking to HLM4, the Coalition's meeting will be an important platform to foster alignment and advance bold country policy, implementation, and financing commitments to action that facilitate greater and more consistent access to NCD medicines, products, and care. These include accelerating strategies that:

• ensure adequate and affordable access to high-quality NCD medicines and products
• advance mechanisms for more sustainable, efficient, and transparent financing for NCDs
• enable more convenient, inclusive, and earlier access to NCD screening and care services through integrated primary health care
• reduce prohibitive out-of-pocket costs for people living with NCDs

With the Honorable Minister of Health of Uganda, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, kicking off proceedings, the opening day will feature ministerial fireside chats and innovation sharing sessions, highlighting country-led solutions to overcome access barriers. The program also includes high-level policy discussions, site visits, and the development of a post-HLM4 roadmap based on country priorities and implementation realities. Ministry delegations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and beyond are expected to participate.

As global financing tightens and countries look towards 2030 Universal Health Coverage goals, the need for such action has never been greater. This meeting aims to ensure that people living with NCDs can receive the lifesaving care they deserve.

About the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines & Products:
Founded in 2017, the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines & Products is a global, multisectoral membership dedicated to addressing gaps in access to affordable NCD medicines and products. Comprising government agencies, private-sector and multilateral entities, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, academic institutions, and civil society, the Coalition works to advocate for and provide technical support and tools to strengthen supply security for people living with NCDs while fostering innovation and advancing high-impact programs that enhance supply chains, build health system capacity, and increase financing. PATH serves as the Secretariat for the Coalition.

For more information about this event, please contact media@path.org