Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and chronic respiratory illnesses—now cause more than 43 million deaths each year, with the most significant burden falling on low- and middle-income countries. Over 14 million people in LMICs die prematurely from NCDs annually, pushing families into poverty, reducing productivity, and straining already fragile health systems. NCDs are the leading cause of death globally, accounting for about 71% of annual deaths, with over 80% of these occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Despite this burden, NCDs have consistently accounted for less than 2% of global funding over the last two decades. Some sources report that as little as 1% of global health funding is allocated to NCD interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Because this funding level is so low, and as NCD prevention and care sit at the intersection of poverty reduction, health equity, and climate resilience, addressing them is no longer optional—it is urgent.

Each day, we see the human consequences of inaction. Meet our beneficiaries:

• Issac, a 50-year-old man, arrives at an emergency department in Kenya, unsure whether an EKG machine will even be available to diagnose a heart attack.

• Juma, a 32-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, rides to work daily, unaware of the toxic air pollution he inhales—pollution that is driving rising rates of lung disease and cancer in his community.

• Mary, a 37-year-old woman, a new mother, presents to a rural clinic confused and hypertensive; the nurse suspects a stroke but has no imaging, limited medications, and no clear guidance on whether transfer will save her life.

The solutions are within reach.

The NCD RIGHTS (Research, Innovation, Global Health, Transformation, and Sustainability) Lab is mobilizing multidisciplinary expertise to close these gaps. Examples of our interdisciplinary work that this campaign will catalyze include

• Addressing climate-linked NCD risks by tackling air pollution exposure among motorcycle drivers—one of the most vulnerable yet essential workforces in East Africa. Air pollution is now the fourth leading global risk factor for disease, surpassed only by hypertension, smoking, and malnutrition.

• Targeting one of Africa’s deadliest yet under-resourced conditions. In Kenya, stroke mortality reaches 507 deaths per 1,000 person-years, with inpatient mortality exceeding 21%—among the highest rates globally. Nearly 70% of stroke deaths and 87% of stroke-related disability occur in low- and middle-income countries, demanding better diagnostic and decision-support tools.

• Confronting cardiovascular disease, which causes nearly one million deaths annually in Africa, many among economically productive adults. By strengthening clinical pathways and access to timely diagnosis, this project aims to prevent avoidable deaths from heart attacks.
  

We are asking for your end-of-year support to catalyze this work. Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, all gifts up to $10,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Your tax-free contribution will directly support innovation, research, and life-saving care for communities facing the world's fastest-growing NCD burden.

Please join us in making a measurable impact on NCDs in Africa—when it matters most.