The 4th Global NCD Alliance Forum, held in Kigali, Rwanda, was a transformative experience that brought together advocates, policymakers, and experts to advance the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). As a participant sponsored by the Global NCD Alliance under the Our Views, Our Voices initiative, I had the privilege of sharing my lived experience as a caregiver for my elder brother who has epilepsy. This platform reaffirmed the critical role of people with lived experiences in shaping policies and driving meaningful action.
Our Views, Our Voices Pre-Conference: Lived Experience in NCD Advocacy
Before the main forum, I attended and co-led the introduction session of the Our Views, Our Voices pre-conference alongside Stephen Ogweno. This pre-conference was a powerful gathering of individuals with lived experience of NCDs, fostering discussions on how personal stories can drive policy changes and improve healthcare systems.
Insights from Michael Uchunor, Maia Olsen, Evans Majau, and Johanna Ralston highlighted major gaps in NCD engagement, including limited political will, exclusionary donor requirements, lack of quality data, and cultural barriers to social transformation. One of the key takeaways was the urgent need for a paradigm shift—where people living with NCDs are not just beneficiaries but active decision-makers in shaping healthcare policies and interventions.
We also explored cross-sectoral collaboration in NCD advocacy. I shared how organizations like the International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA) and YIPAR are leveraging digital advocacy to push for alcohol taxation and tobacco control. These efforts demonstrate the power of integrating NCDs into broader health, policy, and climate agendas.
Key Insights from the Opening Plenary
A highlight of the forum was meeting Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Global CEO of Amref Health Africa, who moderated the Opening Plenary. His message was clear—NCDs are a growing threat to Africa’s future, and urgent action is needed. He cautioned that while NCDs are on the rise, communicable diseases still consume a significant portion of health budgets, creating a double burden that threatens progress under Africa’s Agenda 2063.
During the plenary, Professor Claude Mambo Muvunyi from the Rwanda Biomedical Center emphasized the disconnect between policy and implementation in NCD prevention. He pointed out that healthcare systems remain disease-specific, prioritizing curative interventions over preventive measures—a major reason why NCDs continue to surge. His call for stronger leadership and decisive action resonated deeply with the forum’s theme.
Balancing Plates: Health, Justice, and Sustainability Through Tax Reforms
One of the most thought-provoking sessions I attended was “Balancing Plates: Advocating for Health, Justice, and Sustainability Through Tax Reforms,” featuring insights from Marcelo Baird (ACT Health Promotion Brazil) and Kristina Sperkova (President, Movendi International).
A key challenge in advocating for health taxes (such as alcohol, sugar, and trans fat taxes) is the public’s perception. Marcelo Baird stressed that unless people clearly see the health benefits, gaining public support for such taxes remains difficult. Kristina Sperkova reinforced this, stating that the public must understand how revenues from health taxes are reinvested into preventive healthcare and social programs.
This session, organized by Movendi International, ACT Health Promotion, and the Healthy Latin American Coalition, reinforced the need for evidence-based advocacy to push for policy reforms that protect public health.
Mobilizing for Obesity Prevention
A standout session hosted by the World Obesity Federation focused on the urgent need to address obesity across all life stages. Bonface Takwe (Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services) emphasized that NCD prevention must begin early in life—from conception through adulthood. A life-course approach to NCD management recognizes that health risks and protective factors accumulate throughout life, making early intervention crucial for long-term disease prevention and control. This approach starts from conception, ensuring maternal and child health through proper nutrition and care, followed by healthy lifestyle promotion during childhood and adolescence to prevent obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In adulthood, it emphasizes workplace wellness, routine screenings, and chronic disease management to reduce complications, while in older age, it focuses on healthy aging, rehabilitation, and palliative care to improve quality of life.
Other key takeaways included:
✔ Stephen Ogweno raised a crucial point—obesity remains largely ignored in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and insurance policies despite being a global epidemic.
✔ Brenda Chitindi (Zambia NCD Alliance) debunked the myth that obesity is a “disease of the rich”, stressing that it affects all socioeconomic groups.
✔ Diego Rodriguez called for greater accountability from the food industry, pointing out the role of commercial determinants in fueling the obesity crisis.
AstraZeneca’s Decade of Impact: Strengthening NCD Resilience
As a beneficiary of AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme (YHP) Scholarship, I was eager to attend their session on “A Decade of Impact: Advancing Health Resilience in Africa.” The discussion featured Dr. Diana Atwine (Ministry of Health, Uganda), Katie Dain (CEO, NCD Alliance), and Dr. Githinji Gitahi (Amref Health Africa).
Key takeaways from this session included:
✅ Dr. Atwine: Stressed the need for efficient resource allocation and integrated approaches to NCD care.
✅ Katie Dain: Highlighted that NCD funding remains disproportionately low despite its increasing burden.
✅ Dr. Githinji Gitahi: Called for urgent policy action on issues like trans fats and alcohol harm reduction—a major validation of our ongoing advocacy at IILA and Movendi International.
Kigali Car-Free Day: A Model for NCD Prevention
One of the most inspiring experiences in Kigali was participating in the Kigali Car-Free Day—a brilliant initiative that closes roads to vehicles and encourages walking, cycling, and running. This community-wide exercise event, complemented by free health screenings (BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar tests), is a powerful model for integrating physical activity into NCD prevention.
By prioritizing active lifestyles and preventive health measures, Rwanda is leading the way in creating healthier communities—a lesson that many countries, including Kenya, can adopt.
Gratitude
The 4th Global NCD Alliance Forum was an incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute to the fight against NCDs. From policy discussions to grassroots advocacy strategies, every session reaffirmed that we must act NOW to prevent and control NCDs.
I am deeply grateful to the Global NCD Alliance for sponsoring my participation through the Our Views, Our Voices initiative. Their commitment to amplifying lived experiences is instrumental in shaping inclusive, impactful, and sustainable NCD policies.
Together, we must continue to advocate, mobilize, and lead the fight against NCDs. The time to act is now! #LeadOnNCDs #ItsTimeToLead #NCDAF2025
ODUOR KEVIN 