MSIF joins Time to Lead campaign for action on non-communicable diseases

Last updated: 21st November 2024

MSIF builds partnerships with international organisations to address the needs of people with MS, neurological conditions, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). supporting the Time to Lead campaign, led by The Non-communicable Disease (NCD) Alliance, which aims to mobilise global action ahead of the 4th High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases at the United Nations (UN) in September 2025

The Time to Lead campaign aligns with MSIF’s ongoing work to improve healthcare access with initiatives such as World MS Day, the Atlas of MS project, and successful efforts to include MS treatments on the WHO’s Essential Medicines List. MSIF leadership and member CEOs to participate in the campaign at MSIF’s Global Networking Meeting in London in October.

Time to Lead Campaign

In September 2025, global leaders will convene at the UN in New York for the 4th High-Level Meeting on NCDs. At this meeting, they will decide whether to place NCD agenda atop the list of global health priorities, backed by investment.

The Time to Lead campaign calls on all governments to fulfil their commitments to tackle the NCD burden, emphasising three key actions:

  1. MOBILISE INVESTMENT: By increasing sustainable funding for health, including measurable NCD financing targets, and maximising health benefits through health taxes and other fiscal measures.
  2. ACCELERATE IMPLEMENTATION: By integrating high-impact NCD policies into person-centred care and universal health coverage, and expanding access to essential NCD medicines, technologies, and resources.
  3. DELIVER ACCOUNTABILITY: By monitoring and publicly reporting on an updated set of NCD targets extended to 2030 and beyond, embedding NCD goals within the post-Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

Non-communicable diseases and MS[1]

  • Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are chronic, non-infectious conditions including MS, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, and mental health disorders.
  • NCDs are the leading cause of disability worldwide, with MS as the primary cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults in many countries.
  • Only half of the global population has adequate access to essential health services, with most of the underserved living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This affects people with MS, where 72% of countries report barriers to accessing DMTs, and 83% encounter difficulties in obtaining an early diagnosis.
  • In the context of MS, cost of healthcare (including medicines) is reported by around two thirds of Lower-middle and low-income countries as a major barrier to accessing MS diagnosis and treatment.

The daily realities of MS

The global barriers to MS diagnosis scientific publication  [2]outlines the barriers that prevent timely diagnosis and treatment throughout a patient’s journey, especially in regions where healthcare access is limited or prohibitively expensive. Sanae, a woman with MS from Morocco, shares her experience:

 

“To even get my diagnosis, I had to borrow money. I couldn’t afford the treatment and saw my career slipping away. The financial support just wasn’t there.”

Sanae’s story is one of many. Her experience, alongside the stories of others affected by MS, shows the significant impact of barriers to healthcare access. [Read more of Sanae’s story and others here].

Call to Action

MSIF joins the NCD Alliance in calling on people affected by MS, healthcare professionals, MS and neurological organisations to sign the open letter and make a difference. For a world where MS and all NCDs receive the attention they urgently deserve, it’s time to lead. Show your support by signing the NCD Alliance open letter here.

About the NCD Alliance

The NCD Alliance (NCDA) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Geneva, Switzerland, dedicated to supporting a world free from preventable suffering, disability and death caused by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

Founded in 2009, NCDA brings together a unique network of over 425 members in more than 60 countries into a respected, united and credible global civil society movement.

[1] Reference: Noncommunicable diseases – fast facts https://actonncds.org/about/about-ncds and Atlas of MS third edition: https://www.atlasofms.org/

[2] Global Barriers to the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis | Neurology