With non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or lung disease, claiming more than three out of every five lives in the world, the UN is now taking action to undo the damage caused by these chronic diseases and check their explosion.

At its recently-concluded High-Level Meeting on NCDs - the first-ever discussion of its kind -, the UN has potentially brought the spotlight of its worldwide agenda on the most fatal and incapacitating diseases,

The UN clearly face an uphill task in terms of preventing the explosion of NCDs because of the key focus area of the governments, donors and multilateral organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) has, till now, been primarily the acute and infectious illnesses instead of the NCDs.

As such, for the UN to witness positive outcomes in the direction of fighting NCDs, constructive involvement of the private sector would be of utmost importance.

In addition, it is also essential that the delegates to the UN must acknowledge that vital role that businesses play in bringing valuable innovations to market, as well as in delivering concrete solutions, closing resource gaps and tackling the factors that lead to poor health and disease.

Furthermore, with some NCDs resulting from unhealthy behaviors and lifestyle choices, practical and cost-effective measures - including a cut down in the intake of tobacco, alcohol, salt, and sugar - can go a long way in bringing the desired results in terms of combating NCDs early on!