WHO Global NCD Platform Young Researchers Programme

The WHO Global NCD Platform in collaboration with partners is scaling up action to stimulate demand for locally focused research to address context-specific problems and propose action-oriented solutions to addressing NCDs and mental health challenges. At the same time, the initiative provides young people with a platform and the means to showcase their innovative and creative thinking in this important field.

The global burden of noncommunicable diseases disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, especially when it comes to premature mortality.

The risk factors of major NCDs are associated with behaviors that are established during adolescence, including harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use, sedentary lifestyles, and unhealthy diets - exacerbated by social, economic, environmental, commercial, and political determinants that create unhealthy environments.

Youth involvement presents unique opportunities to influence processes and decisions that directly affect them and makes it possible to initiate lasting positive changes to improve health and prevent diseases.

The Young Researchers Programme builds on the successful completion of the pilot phase rolled out by the WHO Global NCD Platform in collaboration with UNITAR, Defeat-NCD Partnership and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research.

As part of the pilot programme, incentive grants were awarded to 8 winners from LMICs enrolled in academic institutions. Their research is investigating NCD and mental health challenges in Uganda, Peru, China, India, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Egypt, representing five WHO Regions. The first Grants Award Ceremony was held in a dedicated session during the World Health Summit 2022 in Berlin, Germany.

Research grant recipients with the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and the team from the WHO Global NCD Platform and UNITAR.

A year later, at the World Health Summit 2023 the global health community was presented with policy briefs developed by the pilot cohort of young researchers based on their research findings, and the second phase of the Young Researchers Programme was announced.