Agenda Item 12.1 Follow-up to the political declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases

The International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, supported by the World Rehabilitation Alliance, welcomes the report on noncommunicable diseases and the 2025 Political Declaration.
WHO evidence shows that rising NCD prevalence is driving increased demand for rehabilitation, with unmet needs highest in low- and middle-income countries, where over half of those who need rehabilitation services cannot access them.
The NCD Global Monitoring Framework measures outcomes through mortality and morbidity only, yet millions live longer with NCDs while experiencing significant limitations in functioning. The framework revision is an opportunity to incorporate functioning as a dimension of health status, alongside the WHO global rehabilitation indicators, to strengthen planning, measurement, and equity.