Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions — account for 74% of global deaths (1). While prevention is critical, ensuring access to essential medicines and technologies remains a major challenge. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize both availability and affordability as key to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) (2). However, defining and measuring these concepts remains complex. Studies have shown the importance of looking at availability and affordability together, as both factors must be combined for people to access the medicines and technologies they need (3). Drawing from other sectors like food and housing, it is clear that availability without affordability still limits access. As NCD burdens grow, there is an urgent need to rethink and redefine how we understand and measure access to medicines and technologies.
(1)World Health Organization. Non communicable diseases geneva: world health organization. 2025 (2)World Health Organization. Monitoring health for the SDGs Geneva: World Health Organization. 2024 (3)Ewen M, Joosse H-J, Beran D, et al. Insulin prices, availability and affordability in 13 low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Glob Health 2019; 4