Frequently Asked Questions

The NCD Lab is a virtual initiative that support projects harnessing innovative solutions that accelerate progress towards achieving the NCD and NCD related SDGs. The NCD Lab move beyond the Communities' communication-based platform to an action oriented project-based platform, crowdsourcing projects and supporting their efforts in achieving the NCD and NCD related SDGs.

GCM/NCD Participants are primarily approached by WHO GCM/NCD to co-chair a specific NCD lab. The co-chairs then lead the formation of the steering group members with the approval of GCM/NCD.

The Communities constitute a virtual safe space connecting emerging and established voices including WHO experts, researchers, policy-makers, practitioners, civil society, youth, private sector and other relevant stakeholders around the world to network, communicate, learn and exchange resource materials, tools, effective practices and experiences on the implementation of NCD responses.

The NCD Lab will build on the relevance and success of selected Communities. However, whilst the NCD Lab are also a virtual initiative, they are more focused on supporting crowdsourced projects, which are focused on innovative solutions. As such, the NCD Lab move beyond a community-based discussion platform to an innovation project based platform seeking to support projects targeting NCD and NCD related SDGs with the support of seed funding from WHO.

The objective of the NCD Lab is to highlight the finest innovative solutions in the NCD field to rapidly create solutions towards the NCD and NCD related agendas by the larger global health community targeting all levels of actors from policy level change, to systems change, or individual level change.

The global progress indicators to meet the goals of the NCD agenda are lagging, thus we need action to develop projects quickly and thoughtfully to create the most impact at an accelerated speed. The previous work of the Communities was highly successful but the current state of the global burden of disease attributed to NCDs and mental health conditions remains extraordinarily high as they remain the number one cause of mortality and morbidity. The WHO GCM/NCD and many other global health actors recognize this problem and the GCM/ NCD wants to utilize its resources to align with the UN Secretary- General’s call to mobilize for a decade of action on three levels: global action to secure greater leadership, more resources and smarter solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals; local action embedding the needed transitions in the policies, budgets, institutions and regulatory frameworks of governments, cities and local authorities; and people action, including by youth, civil society, the media, the private sector, unions, academia and other stakeholders, to generate an unstoppable movement pushing for the required transformations. The WHO GCM/NCD recognizes the urgent priority of fostering new ideas and solutions and see the potential to manifest the new ideas and solutions through the NCD Lab.

The NCD Lab’s target audience is NCD global health actors including Member States, UN Organizations and non-State actors. Considering the cross-cutting nature of the initiative, we encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to form the NCD Lab structures to be involved and small to large projects to submit applications. We will communicate the progress of the NCD Lab on the KAP to keep all those interested informed on a regular basis.

Lab cycles will be advertised on the KAP website, newsletter and other relevant WHO communication channels. There will be an application process which the project team will complete, and after the submission, only successful applicants will be contacted to request more information or be informed of the next steps. Only one submission is selected as the winner per NCD Lab cycle.

The NCD Lab supports project-based solutions that work towards addressing the global burden of NCDs and mental health conditions through a lens of collaboration, inclusivity and multisectoral approaches. The NCD Lab themes, goals, and project teams’ goals will also align with the UN Decade of Action, WHO’s General Programme of Work 13, Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 alongside the WHO 5x5 NCD framework, both of which aim to tackle the global burden of disease attributed to NCDs and mental health conditions

There is an overarching framework that will be used for the inclusion and exclusion of each thematic area. Considering the diversity of each thematic area, including potential cycle focuses, the NCD Lab may adapt certain parts of the criteria with the agreement of the GCM/NCD.

There will be a bi-annual review process for the GCM/NCD, the NCD Lab and the project team evaluating the successes, next steps, and challenges after reflecting on the past NCD Lab cycle(s). This will be communicated through the KAP website, newsletter and through other relevant WHO communication channels.

No – all projects either submitted or selected by the NCD Lab are not endorsed by WHO.

The World Health Organization has a Organizations, (Non-Governmental Framework endeavours to strengthen WHO engagement with non-State actors Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA). The private sector entities, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions), while protecting its work from potential risks such as conflict of interest, reputational risks, and undue influence. In addition, all NCD Lab members and project team members involved will have to provided a DOI detailing any formal association, affiliation or link, with the tobacco or arms industry, or any subsidiary of a tobacco/arms company or a commercial entity involved with the manufacture, sale, or distribution of tobacco/arms or tobacco related products.