Acting Early on Non-Communicable Diseases 2026

Foreword Health systems worldwide face an escalating challenge: populations are living longer but are increasingly burdened by chronic conditions that diminish quality of life and strain finite resources. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are already compromising the sustainability and resilience of health systems, and the window for corrective action is narrowing. The Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR) commissioned this analysis using a framework developed at the London School of Economics (LSE). Leading researchers in eight countries – Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland and Spain – have examined why health systems, even those with well-resourced universal coverage, struggle to act early on NCDs. While these countries represent diverse demographics, financing models and governance structures, they share common problems of access and delivery. Rather than country-specific recommendations, this paper outlines the structural barriers preventing early action and provides a framework for addressing them. The focus is on: cardiovascular disease; cancer; diabetes; chronic kidney disease; and chronic respiratory diseases. These five NCD categories account for over 80% of premature mortality. Several key findings emerge. First, performance variation both within and across countries reveals that superior outcomes are achievable with existing resources – the question is organization, prioritization and reallocation towards preventative strategies. Second, successful interventions require complementary action: screening programmes fail without functioning referral pathways; prevention initiatives fall away without sustained financing; clinical guidelines achieve little without implementation mechanisms. Finally, achieving better outcomes requires education and the means to address existing inequalities. We hope this white paper reaches a wide audience of policy-makers, clinicians, researchers, patient advocates and all those concerned with acknowledging the increasing burden of NCDs globally. There is growing evidence of effective care for NCDs. This paper helps identify the barriers to implementation. It serves as a reminder that NCDs, as well as communicable diseases, remain a challenge even in well-resourced healthcare systems.Shyam Bishen Head, Centre for Health and Healthcare; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic ForumAlistair McGuire Professor of Health Economics, Chair of LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science Acting Early on Non-Communicable Diseases: A Framework for Health System TransformationJanuary 2026 Acting Early on Non-Communicable Diseases: A Framework for Health System Transformation 3