One serious issue that the world health field rarely talks about is NCDs, that is, non-communicable diseases, a crisis in global health currently eclipsed by communicable diseases and humanitarian crises. There are millions worldwide who have developed diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular and metabolism disorders, and they are not limited to Western-countries-only concerns. Middle- and low-income nations are struggling to deal with increasing chronic diseases due to low resources at public and national levels.
Under such conditions, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is broadening its influence and its role in global health and is now more engaged and present all around the world in cardiometabolic diseases, meaning, for example, diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular diseases and ways to combat those. This shift will offer some exciting new opportunities, as the health NGOs and other public-interest health, health service, nutrition, or community-focused non-governmental organizations are soon going to see. But as importantly, it signals an important paradigm shift.
Why Cardiometabolic Diseases Matter
The challenge of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) affects more than a single disease. They result in long-lasting burdens on both the affected individuals and their families. They demand ongoing monitoring and treatment, which can include continuous medical services, medication, prescribed dietary restrictions, and other changes to daily life.
They include a group of interconnected health problems, particularly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic conditions.
Low-income communities are especially at a disadvantage since there might not be healthcare close by; they may not be aware of preventive measures, might struggle affording continuous medical care, or lack access to a healthy diet.
This is where a community organization or NGO can make a difference.
A Shift Toward Prevention and Long-Term Health
One important lesson from the growing focus on cardiometabolic diseases is that healthcare cannot only begin when someone becomes seriously ill.
Prevention matters.
Community awareness, early screening, healthier lifestyles, nutrition education, physical activity, and access to primary healthcare can all contribute to reducing long-term health risks.
For NGOs, this creates opportunities to develop programs that connect healthcare with everyday community life.
Instead of focusing only on treatment, organizations can work on early detection, prevention, education, and long-term support.
Why This Could Matter for NGOs
The foundation’s increased focus could be particularly relevant for NGOs already working in areas such as
- Public health
- Diabetes prevention
- Nutrition
- Maternal and community health
- Healthcare access
- Health education
- Disease screening
- Primary healthcare
- Research and innovation
Organizations working in these areas should pay attention to how funding priorities develop.
Large philanthropic foundations can influence the direction of global health funding. When a major funder increases its attention toward a particular issue, it can create opportunities for partnerships, research, pilot projects, and community programs.
However, NGOs should not simply change their programs because a funding area becomes popular.
The strongest proposals will still be those that respond to a real community need.
The Importance of Local Organizations
Global health programs often depend on organizations that understand local communities.
An international foundation may provide funding and technical expertise, but local NGOs can bring something equally important: knowledge of the people they serve.
They understand local languages, cultural practices, healthcare barriers, and community concerns.
For example, an NGO working in a rural area may already know why people are not attending health screenings. The problem might not be a lack of interest—it could be transportation, cost, work schedules, misinformation, or a lack of trust in healthcare providers.
These local insights can make health programs more effective.
Cardiometabolic Health Is Also an Economic Issue
The impact of these diseases goes beyond hospitals and healthcare systems.
When someone develops a chronic illness, families may face additional medical expenses. People may also miss work or become less able to earn an income.
For vulnerable households, this can create a cycle in which poor health contributes to financial hardship, and financial hardship makes it harder to access healthcare.
This means NGOs working in livelihoods, poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and community development may also have a role to play in improving health outcomes.
Health should not be treated as a separate issue from economic and social development.
What NGOs Can Learn From This Funding Shift
The growing focus on cardiometabolic diseases offers NGOs several important lessons.
Think Beyond Short-Term Projects
Chronic diseases require long-term solutions.
A one-time awareness campaign may create attention, but sustainable health programs need continued engagement, monitoring, and follow-up.
NGOs should therefore think about how their projects can continue creating value after the initial funding period.
Use Data to Demonstrate Need
Strong health proposals should clearly demonstrate the problem they are trying to address.
NGOs can use community surveys, health records, screening data, government statistics, and other reliable sources to understand the scale of the issue.
Good data can help organizations explain not only what the problem is, but also who is most affected and why action is needed.
Measure More Than Activities
Organizing health camps or distributing educational materials is not enough.
NGOs should also consider what changed because of those activities.
Did more people receive screenings?
Did participants improve their health knowledge?
Did high-risk individuals connect with healthcare services?
Did people adopt healthier practices?
These outcomes can make a health program much more meaningful.
An Opportunity for Collaboration
The growing attention to cardiometabolic health also highlights the importance of partnerships.
NGOs do not have to work alone.
They can collaborate with healthcare providers, universities, local governments, research institutions, community leaders, and other nonprofit organizations.
Such partnerships can combine different strengths.
One organization may have medical expertise, another may have strong community networks, and another may have experience collecting and analyzing data.
Together, they can create stronger programs than any organization could deliver independently.
What Should NGOs Do Now?
NGOs interested in this area should start by looking at the work they are already doing.
If an organization is working in nutrition, maternal health, community healthcare, or disease prevention, it may already have a foundation for addressing cardiometabolic health.
Organizations can strengthen their readiness by improving their monitoring systems, documenting outcomes, building healthcare partnerships, training staff, and identifying the communities most affected by these conditions.
They should also monitor emerging funding opportunities and understand the priorities of major health foundations.
Most importantly, NGOs should avoid simply adding keywords such as “diabetes,” “obesity,” or “cardiovascular disease” to proposals.
Funders are looking for meaningful solutions—not buzzwords.
Looking Ahead
We all see and hear an increase in attention in the news and within governments about cardiometabolic health. The changing times: There’s a changing trend in global thinking—not only in infectious diseases or emergencies but also in how we respond to the deluge of chronic diseases and conditions that evolve, weaken, and compromise our patients and our communities over years and years. Managing the growing impact and costs associated with cardiometabolic diseases will go well beyond our walls with beds and medicines.
Prevention, health promotion and education within our communities, early diagnosis and detection, affordable care and health literacy, effective surveillance, population data utilization, and significant long-term financial commitments will be needed.
NGOs have tremendous potential to add considerable value in addressing these needs.
Final Thoughts
The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s increased focus on cardiometabolic diseases is an important development for the global health sector.
For NGOs, the message is clear: chronic diseases deserve greater attention, particularly in communities where healthcare access is already limited.
Organizations that understand local health challenges, build strong partnerships, measure meaningful outcomes, and put communities at the center of their work may find new opportunities as global health priorities evolve.
The future of global health will not be shaped by treating diseases alone.
It will also depend on preventing them and making sure people have the knowledge, support, and healthcare access they need before a health problem becomes a crisis.
