Access for Every Child: Ensuring Multidisciplinary Care for Non- Communicable Diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) affect more than 2.1 billion children worldwide and are responsible for 15.9% of deaths among those under 20 years old—around 1 million lives lost every year. Most risk factors are modifiable: poor diet, physical inactivity, and exposure to ultra-processed foods are early habits that shape health for a lifetime. Without urgent action on paediatric NCD prevention, we risk undermining children’s futures, straining health systems, and slowing progress towards SDG 3.4.

This upcoming event, co-organized by the International Initiative for Paediatrics and Nutrition  from the University of Columbia, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), NCD Child, and Stanford Medicine, will be held on the margins of the 80th UN General Assembly.

The event aims to:

1. Explore the unique challenges of paediatric NCDs in both high- and low-income contexts.
2. Highlight promising approaches to prevention and care.
3. Put forward actionable recommendations to improve access to quality, multidisciplinary services for children and adolescents.