New analysis identifies entry points for action to strengthen financing for NCDs in Latin America and the Caribbean
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 65% of all deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean, placing a growing strain on both health systems and economic development. Yet financing for NCD prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long term care continues to fall short of what is needed to respond effectively.
A new landscape analysis from the Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs (FAN), led by the network’s regional Financing Accelerator, the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS) with support from Results for Development (R4D), examines why this gap persists—and, importantly, where countries have opportunities to act.
Drawing on a review of more than 150 publications, 22 key informant interviews across ten countries, and insights validated through a two-day regional dialogue among government officials, multilateral development banks, international cooperation agencies, civil society, academia, the research community, and FAN partners, the report explores the region's financing landscape through the lens of the World Health Organization's Health Financing Framework: revenue collection, pooling, and strategic purchasing.
The analysis highlights a broader systemic challenge: financing for NCDs is often fragmented, inefficient, and difficult to track, limiting governments' ability to plan, prioritize, and respond to the rising demand for chronic disease prevention and care.
Turning Existing Solutions into Lasting Impact
The study also highlights an encouraging finding: many of the building blocks for stronger health financing for NCDs already exist across the region. The challenge is less about coming up with new solutions than scaling, coordinating, and embedding those that have already demonstrated success.
Six country case studies illustrate this potential, including Jamaica's National Health Fund, which channels tobacco tax revenues to support chronic disease care, and Colombia's information systems that enable better tracking of high-cost conditions and more informed resource allocation.
From Insights to Action
Building on these examples, the analysis outlines opportunities for countries to strengthen the health financing systems, including improving expenditure tracking, linking health taxes more effectively to NCD priorities, investing in integrated primary care and prevention, strengthening financial protection, improving strategic purchasing, enhancing health information systems, and expanding regional collaboration on medicines and high-cost technologies.
The findings from the study will help shape FAN's regional program of learning and technical support, supporting countries to identify, implement, and scale the most impactful opportunities to strengthen financing for NCDs.
To delve deeper into the findings of the landscape analysis, join our webinar on Tuesday 4 August, where we'll discuss the key insights and their implications.
Webinar registration
Join the Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs
FAN brings together country stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable financing for NCDs. As part of the FAN’s Country Core Group, government officials, civil society partners, and local leaders can participate in peer learning and exchange experiences (FAN Forum), access technical support, (FAN Foresight), and apply for catalytic seed funding (FAN Fund) to accelerate progress.