A Review of the Impact of Noncommunicable Disease Investment Cases in Thirteen Countries

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major global health and development issue. Since 2015, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme have been assisting governments in developing national NCD investment cases. These cases highlight the socioeconomic implications of NCDs, detailing their economic and social costs, distribution, future projections, priority areas for intervention, the benefits and expenses of WHO-recommended measures, and the political dynamics of NCD responses. A study from July to October 2022 evaluated the impact of these investment cases across 13 countries. While no country fully adopted all the recommendations, a number of policy changes and actions were attributed to the investment cases. These spanned areas like governance, encompassing laws, policies, and public communications; financing, including budgeting and health taxes; and health service provision, emphasizing system strengthening and universal health coverage. The pathways for these changes were stronger collaboration across government ministries and partners, advocacy for NCD prevention, grounding efforts in nationally owned evidence, a shared language between health and finance sectors, and perceiving NCD actions as investments rather than costs. However, certain barriers, such as private sector interference, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact, and leadership changes, hindered further progress. Overall, the study indicates that NCD investment cases can make an important contribution in catalyzing the prevention and control of NCDs through governance, financing, and health service delivery.