Isabel Mestres: Sometimes, common sense isn’t as common as we think

Isabel Mestres posted on LinkedIn:

“Sometimes, common sense isn’t as common as we think: ‘If cancer and NCDs (Noncommunicable diseases) are underfunded by governments and development agencies, it must mean there’s no investment case to justify it.’

Last week, I had the honor of delivering a keynote speech at the SCBF General Meeting on the private sector’s role in Health Financing for Cancer and NCDs. I presented the graphic below from the NCD Alliance showing the shocking disparity: while NCDs account for 70% of global deaths, they receive less than 2% of funding from Official Development Assistance (ODA). The audience was stunned, and someone commented that common sense would suggest there isn’t an economic case for investing in NCDs. But that’s far from the truth.

The total global cost of the five leading NCDs between 2011 and 2030 is estimated at a staggering $47 TRILLION, pushing millions into poverty. Yet, if we invest less than $1 per person per year in cost-effective NCD measures, we could achieve:
7 MILLION lives saved in low- and middle-income countries
50 MILLION additional years of healthy life
US$230 BILLION in economic gains by 2030

Moreover, if Health Ministries worldwide allocate just 20% of their budgets to high-priority NCD interventions, 39 million lives could be saved between 2023 and 2030.

It’s clear: there is a compelling economic case for investing in the fight against NCDs. We must bridge this funding gap to save lives and create healthier, more prosperous communities globally. Sometimes, common sense just needs a little enlightenment.”

Source: Isabel Mestres/LinkedIn

Isabel Mestres is the CEO of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), previously being the Director of Global Public Affairs. She also led initiatives in membership and partnership development at the International Union for Cancer Control. Mestres’ strategic sense positions her to propel C/Can forward, advancing its mission of enhancing cancer care accessibility in low- and middle-income nations.