Advancing Regional Action on NCDs and Mental Health: The Kuala Lumpur Declaration
Event Summary
On April 21–22, 2025, civil society representatives from across ASEAN and the WHO South-East Asia Region gathered in Kuala Lumpur for a landmark meeting focused on accelerating progress toward the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health. Hosted by NCD Malaysia in collaboration with the Global NCD Alliance, the event served as a platform to reaffirm commitments, share best practices, and set regional priorities for NCD advocacy and action.
Why This Matters
- Two-thirds of all deaths in the WHO South-East Asia Region
- 76% of deaths in Southeast Asia
This challenge is compounded by limited health financing, inadequate service delivery, and the commercial determinants of health. Urgent, unified action is essential to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and protect future generations.
The Kuala Lumpur Declaration: Five Key Commitments
1. Accelerate Implementation
- Integrate NCD services into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) benefit packages.
- Ensure affordable access to essential medicines and health products.
2. Break Down Silos
- Incorporate NCD prevention and care into primary health care.
- Enforce fiscal and regulatory measures to reduce risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and air pollution.
3. Mobilize Investment
- Increase domestic health budgets and implement innovative financing measures.
- Introduce health-promoting fiscal policies, such as taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods.
4. Deliver Accountability
- Strengthen surveillance systems for NCD data collection and monitoring.
- Improve transparency in NCD-related financing.
5. Engage Communities
- Meaningfully involve people living with NCDs and mental health conditions in policy design and implementation.
- Support civil society and community-led initiatives.
Regional Impact and Next Steps
The Kuala Lumpur Declaration calls on ASEAN and SEAR governments, civil society, and global partners to work collectively toward ambitious, measurable actions at the 2025 UNHLM on NCDs and beyond. The focus is clear: leadership, equity, and health for all.
