The NCD Alliance video series, Leadership Dialogues, spotlights practical leadership on noncommunicable disease (NCD) priorities. These informal, cross-sector conversations are central to our efforts to strengthen collaboration and accelerate action across the global NCD community.
Access to Care Perspectives on Youth and Advocacy Leadership Community Leadership and People Living with NCDS
Access to care - Leadership Dialogues
Ulrika Årehed Kågström
Union for International Cancer Control, President
Saunthari Somasundaram
NCD Alliance, Board of Directors 2023-2025
National Cancer Society Malaysia, President
"We need to be committed to setting [...] daring targets for the coming decades [...] and guide our governments to (achieve them)."
- Ulrika Årehed Kågström
How do we improve access to care for people living with NCDs everywhere?
Saunthari Somasundaram, President of the National Cancer Society Malaysia and Member of NCDA Board, and Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), discuss the topic and provide insights from their own experience.
Perspectives on Youth and Advocacy Leadership - Leadership Dialogues
Cavan Lewis
Youth advocate, Jamaica
Ishu Kataria
NCD Alliance, Board of Directors 2023-2025
"We want to be not just at the table but also at the decision-making meetings where you are implementing them [decisions] in different policies."
- Cavan Lewis
Ishu Kataria, member of the NCDA Board of Directors and Cavan Lewis, a youth advocate from Jamaica, discuss the role of youth in advocacy for noncommunicable diseases, including #mentalhealth.
They highlight the challenges many young people living with NCDs all over the world are facing and how governments in their countries are responding to those issues. They also share their personal experience of how they are taking the #leadonncds and call for increased investments in youth mental health and meaningful engagement of young people in decision-making.
Community Leadership and People Living with NCDS - Leadership Dialogues
Monica Arora
NCD Alliance, President 2023-2025
Padmaja Kumar Parmar
Friends of Mewar, founder
"Leadership to me is when inaction is not an option."
- Princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar
On the sidelines of the Global NCD Alliance Forum earlier this year, NCD Alliance President, Dr Monika Arora discussed the concept of leadership on NCDs and what it takes to move the needle on policies that can save millions of lives.
Access, Action & Equity - Leadership Dialogues
Jon Fairest
Sanofi, Head of Global Health Unit
Celsa Muzayire Gaju
Kasha Rwanda, Managing Director
"We are creating access to healthcare that people didn't have before"
- Jon Fairest
At the Global NCDA Forum, taking place in February 2025, Celsa Muzayire Gaju and Jon Fairest discussed new technologies and how they can help expand access to healthcare for everyone everywhere.
Leadership During & Beyond the Emergency - Leadership Dialogue
Bent Lautrup-Nielsen
World Diabetes Foundation, Head of Global Advocacy
Dr Ibtihal Fadhil
Eastern Mediterranean NCD Alliance, Founder and Chairperson
"We are advocating for not leaving anyone behind, [...]"
- Dr Ibtihal Fadhil
On the sidelines of WHA78, Dr Ibtihal Fadhil and Bent Lautrup-Nielsen discussed the integration of NCDs into responses to emergencies and other humanitarian settings, the crucial role of the voices of people with lived experience and sustainable financing. Learn more about why such an integration is a win-win policy solution for many stakeholders in their conversation.