NCDs, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, and mental and neurological disorders, are responsible for approximately 41 million global deaths annually–a figure projected to rise to 52 million by 2030. This escalating challenge represents a significant threat to global health and economic growth, with projected costs of USD47 trillion in healthcare and lost productivity between 2010 and 2030. Despite the clear and urgent threat, current government spending and development assistance fall short of the investment needed to mitigate the rising death toll and its economic impact. 

The Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs aims to address this challenge by supporting governments and local stakeholders in strengthening their NCD response and building more resilient health financing systems, with a focus on advancing universal health coverage and building strong primary healthcare systems – key goals within the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

“We’ve heard from governments and local stakeholders that they need expertise, support, and locally relevant solutions to transform their health financing systems,” says Herb Riband, Director at Access Accelerated. “We have to respond to the call to help countries build financial and technical capacity to address NCDs and improve health outcomes.” 

The network of regional NCD Financing Accelerators in the Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific regions, supported by R4D as Network Manager, will provide regional expertise, on-demand technical support, cross-country learning opportunities, and catalytic seed funding to programs aimed at improving NCD financing and health outcomes. 

"We are excited to support the new Access Accelerated-World Bank technical partnership, leveraging our expertise in health financing and cross-country learning to strengthen health systems worldwide,” says Gina Lagomarsino, President and CEO of Results for Development. “Through the FAN initiative, we are dedicated to collaborating with local change agents in various global settings, ensuring that our efforts have local relevance and global impact, empowering health systems to effectively address the epidemiological transition to NCDs." 

The first regional NCD Financing Accelerator will be hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) (https://apo-opa.co/3CxQD6w). Sub-Saharan Africa faces the fastest-growing rates of NCD incidence and mortality, yet only 7.2% of government spending is allocated to health, far below the average of 12.4% in other regions. This stark discrepancy underscores the urgent need for new approaches to health financing. 

“The growing evidence of the impact of NCDs in Africa, not just on health, but across all aspects of society, calls for forward thinking and innovation on the continent, to save lives and ensure wellbeing and prosperity,” explains Dr. Rose Oronje, Director of Public Policy & Knowledge Translation and Head of Kenya Office at AFIDEP. “As the host of the first regional NCD Financing Accelerator, we will use evidence to unite and mobilize country change agents and empower local stakeholders to co-create solutions, foster cohesive communities of learners, and overcome common health financing challenges.” 

In the coming months, FAN will prioritize a comprehensive analysis of the NCD financing landscape across the African region. This effort, already underway, engages government officials, policymakers, and other stakeholders to identify key challenges, opportunities, and priorities. The findings, expected by early 2025, will guide the learning agenda and shape strategies and solutions to drive on-the-ground impact across the continent.