At Helmsley, we are driven to help people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) live healthier and more fulfilling lives. But we also know that T1D is part of a much broader challenge: the global crisis of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
On September 25th, world leaders gathered in New York for the 4th High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health. After months of negotiation, Member States shared their support for a new Political Declaration, a framework that sets out commitments on prevention, primary health care, financing, governance, and accountability. While the Declaration has not yet been formally adopted, the discussions in September reflect growing global momentum to act on NCDs.
For the first time, the draft Declaration sets clear global targets for addressing NCDs. By 2030, Member States have pledged to reduce tobacco use by 150 million people, ensure 150 million more people have their hypertension under control, and expand access to mental health care for an additional 150 million people.
Importantly, the Declaration includes a specific commitment to improve care and access for people living with diabetes — through early diagnosis, affordable and effective treatment, and regular follow-up to prevent complications.
These outcomes would not have been possible without the tireless advocacy of civil society, including Helmsley grantees such as the NCD Alliance, the NCDI Poverty Network, UNICEF, and the Access to Medicine Foundation. Their leadership ensured that equity remained central to the negotiations and that the voices of people living with NCDs were not left out.
For those of us working alongside communities affected by NCDs, the High-level Meeting and the draft Declaration signal progress, but they are not the finish line. Advocates have noted that ambition could have gone further, particularly on financing and industry accountability. But rather than dwell on what is missing, we should seize the opportunity to act on what is there.
The question we now face is deceptively simple: how do we move from declaration to delivery?
Fast-Track Evidence-Based Implementation
The draft Political Declaration emphasizes evidence-based solutions. One approach already showing impact is PEN-Plus, developed by the NCDI Poverty Network and endorsed by the World Health Organization.
PEN-Plus expands care for severe NCDs — T1D, rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease — into district-level health facilities. By training mid-level providers, creating referral and mentorship systems, and embedding services in rural hospitals, PEN-Plus brings life-saving care much closer to home, free of charge.
We’ve seen this model in action. More than 15,000 people are now receiving treatment for severe NCDs across implementing countries in the African region. Children and young people who once faced life-threatening gaps in care are growing up healthier and more hopeful.
At an event hosted by UNICEF USA, Lilly and Helmsley on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Dr. Neil Gupta, Senior Director of Policy at the NCDI Poverty Network, described why scaling PEN-Plus matters: “Governments know that if they invest in PEN-Plus, they’re investing in information systems, supply chains, and infrastructure. They’re investing in the core building blocks they need to provide universal primary healthcare at ground level.”
The broad commitments to primary care, equity, and measurable targets in the Declaration create an opening to scale PEN-Plus and other proven models even further that turn global promises into local delivery.
Mobilize Investment that Matches the Scale
NCDs are a leading cause of death worldwide, with nearly three-quarters occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Yet NCDs receive only 1–2% of global health funding. For people living with T1D, the consequences are stark: in 2023, only 8% of children in 71 low- and middle-income countries had access to care.
Closing the gap for T1D, and NCDs broadly, requires moving beyond fragmented, donation-based models toward procurement pathways that guarantee affordability and continuous supply at scale. That means donors, governments, and implementers aligning around shared strategies and sustainable financing.
This is the vision behind a new alliance launching on World Diabetes Day. In partnership with implementing countries and collaborators, a group of the world’s largest T1D funders has developed a strategy to drive progress on predictable insulin procurement, integration of T1D into national health policies, and long-term care systems.
In time, this alliance will be more than a funding mechanism — it will show what’s possible when partners commit to shared priorities and long-term solutions. If we want to bend the curve on NCDs, the level and efficiency of investment must match the scale of the challenge.
Make People Living with NCDs Partners, Not Just Patients
Civil society played a key role in shaping the draft Declaration, but genuine progress requires more than consultation. It requires co-creation.
People living with NCDs bring perspectives that can reduce stigma, build awareness, and most importantly, shape strategies that truly work. But for this to happen, they need more than a voice; they need an equal seat at the table, the resources to engage fully, and a long-term commitment from power holders, including philanthropy, to create the space for true partnership.
The Kigali Youth Declaration, launched by young leaders from over 40 countries during the NCD Alliance Forum earlier this year, is a reminder of what that partnership can look like: people with lived experience driving decision-making. Helmsley also supports this approach through initiatives like the T1D Community Fund, which invests in grassroots organizations led by and serving people living with T1D.
Governments and partners must embed community-driven approaches into national strategies, and invest in them for the long term.
A Call to Action
The High-Level Meeting is an important milestone, and the near-final Declaration marks one step closer to global alignment on NCDs. But the real test lies ahead. Civil society, governments, and partners must work together to ensure that targets translate into lives saved and futures secured.
At Helmsley, we are committed to doing our part — through scalable models like PEN-Plus, collaborative investments like ALIGN-T1D, and meaningful partnerships that put people living with NCDs at the center.
The next decade must be one of delivery, not delay. Lives depend on it.
