UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs (UNIATF)
Framing health as an investment
23 March 2018 – Health economists from all corners of the world came to Geneva to be updated on the latest methodologies for conducting national investment cases on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The week-long meeting was financially supported by the government of the Russian Federation under the Task Force-led joint WHO-UNDP programme, Catalyzing Multisectoral Action for NCDs.
Tenth meeting of the UN Task Force on the Prevention and Control of NCDs
21 February 2018 – IAEA hosted the Tenth Meeting of the United Nations Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) on 20-21 February 2018 in Vienna. The meeting was attended by 17 UN agencies, programmes, funds and intergovernmental organizations.
UN Task Force on NCDs: The Government of Ethiopia is working jointly with the UN System to strengthen the national NCD response
Addis Ababa, 5 December 2017 – All-of-government action is needed to prevent and control the health and development impacts of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Ethiopia, the Minister of Health told the United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs during its recent mission to the country.
ECOSOC’s latest Task Force resolution calls for more investment in NCDs
7 June 2017 – To accelerate global and national responses to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has called for greater financing to respond to the global epidemics of heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes, including providing sufficient resources for the work of the UN NCD Task Force.
"Friends of the Task Force" met at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
The work of the United Nations system to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and the critical links between development and reducing the burden of cancer, heart and lung diseases, and diabetes, featured during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York on 11 July 2017.
The Russian Federation and WHO hosted a side event titled, “Friends of UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable diseases: Supporting Member States to achieve the NCD-related targets for the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Friends of the Task Force meet at UNGA
23 September 2016 – The meeting, “Friends of UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): Supporting Member States to achieve the NCD-related Sustainable Development Goals”, held on 22 September 2016 during the Seventy First United Nations General Assembly in New York, provided an overview of the current work of the Task Force, showcasing action at country level and outlining a number of global joint programmes that now require funding in order to become operational.
UN Interagency Task Force
UNIATF Awards 2018
UNIATF Videos
Global collaboration to address NCDs in countries
Investing in NCD prevention and control saves lives and money
Briefing for Economists on NCD investment cases
Members
- AfDB
- ERBD
- FAO
- GFATM
- IAEA
- IARC
- ICRC
- IDLO
- ILO
- INCB
- IOM
- IOC
- ITU
- OIC
- OSDP
- UNAIDS
- UNCTAD
- UNDP
- UNESCO
- UNEP
- UNESCAP
- UNFPA
- UNHABITAT
- UNHCR
- UNICEF
- UNODC
- UNOSSC
- UNRWA
- UNSCN
- UNU
- UNWomen
- WHO
- WHO FCTC
- WIPO
- WFP
- World Bank
- WTO
Context

Joint missions support UN country teams in their efforts to help countries to build and share solutions for the prevention and control of NCDs, establish a UN thematic group (or an equivalent mechanism) on NCDs to serve as platforms for joint support to national efforts to address NCDs.
Joint Programming Missions also encourage whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to NCDs by working with government and non-State partners. Joint Missions highlight a small number of crucial next steps that are required for countries to make progress on the multisectoral action in advance of the 2018 High-level Meeting.
Country missions and progress reports
The work of the Task Force is articulated through biennial work plans. Actions includes joint programming missions to countries and joint programmes. Reviews of the work plan are undertaken annually and are available below.
Joint programmes
UNDP/WHO Joint Programme on NCDs
UN Joint Action on Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer – MoU and joint programming document
60th IAEA General Conference side event – September 2016
Partners roundtable hosted by the US Government – December 2016
UN Joint Action on Cancer Control
ITU-WHO Mobile Health for NCDs Initiative
Joint letters and agreements
-
IDLO and WHO - December 2014
pdf, 282kb -
Joint working memo - March 2014
pdf, 330kb. UNDP, WHO and World Bank -
Second UNDP/WHO letter - February 2014
pdf, 79kb. Integrating NCDs into UNDAFs -
UNAIDS-WHO Letter of Agreement - July 2012
pdf, 51kb -
First UNDP/WHO letter - March 2012
Integrating NCDs into UNDAFs -
Joint programme on cancer control - March 2009
pdf, 518kb. Arrangements between IAEA and WHO
Guidance and other relevant publications developed or supported by the Task Force are provided in this section.
Guidance for non-health sectors on NCDs
Cervical cancer
Mental Health related activities
NCDs in emergencies
Nutrition and climate change
Sustainable Diets for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet – August 2017
Integrating NCDs into the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAFs)
UNDP/WHO Guidance note – March 2015
Integrating NCDs into UNDAFs – current status
The Task Force meets twice a year, usually in February and October. Meetings are only open to Members of the Task Force. Members take it in turns to host with WHO co-chairing meetings with the agency hosting the meeting. Summaries of the meetings are made available to the public.
Global events
-
Friends of the Task Force meet at UNGA
71st United Nations General Assembly in New York,
September 2016
-
WHO Member States meet to discuss achievements of the Task Force
Sixty-ninth World Health assembly, May 2016
-
HIV, NCDs and ageing
pdf, 372kb
Intervention by the Task Force at 39th UNAIDS
Programme Coordinating Board, Geneva, December 2016
Trainings and workshops
Meetings of the Task Force
Once a year, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) considers a report from the WHO Director-General on progress of the work of the Task Force. This report is transmitted to ECOSOC by the UN Secretary-General.
Reports and resolutions
2017
2015
-
Report of the Secretary-General to ECOSOC
July 2015 - ECOSOC resolution on the Task Force in 2015
-
UN Task Force ready to respond
ECOSOC adopts resolution - June 2015
Contact us
Dr Nick Banatvala
Senior Advisor
Secretariat of the UN Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of NCDs
unncdtaskforce@who.int