Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), like diabetes, hypertension, cancers, and mental health conditions, are the leading cause of early deaths around the world. Every year, we pay the price of inaction: USD $2 trillion in lost productivity and health care costs, and 43 million lives lost to a treatable or preventable condition.

Yet, there is hope: NCD solutions offer a whopping 19:1 return on investment—every step forward or faster will mean saving more lives and spending less.

In today’s turbulent landscape, there is a risk that leaders might look at the problem of NCDs and think, “this can wait.” In this new position paper, we argue why this view is a missed opportunity and urge leaders to prioritize three key NCD financing actions:

• Increase total resources for health, including by repurposing spending on unhealthy products
• Make the health budget go further with efficient win-win solutions for NCDs and beyond
• Track and show the flow of NCD spending, from budget to real-world benefit