Express Interview | Investments in strong primary care networks important to prevent non-communicable diseases: World Health Summit President Axel R Pries

Axel R Pries: With the success of vaccination and health systems, life expectancy has increased, and so have NCDs that develop with age. In addition, changes in nutrition and lifestyle have led to a worldwide surge of obesity, diabetes and also related diseases, including those of the cardiovascular system. With its academic centres and its very innovative pharmaceutical and medical industry, India can and should play a leading role in tackling the rise of such non-communicable diseases. This is a necessity to safeguard the health of the Indian population.

In preventing NCDs, early intervention becomes ever more important. This requires investments in strong primary care networks. In addition, new modalities like AI and telemedicine require innovative digital health infrastructures. The aim is to prevent diseases, detect cases faster and manage chronic conditions closer to people’s homes. These solutions not only improve lives in India but also provide valuable lessons for other countries. The World Health Summit highlighted this at its very successful Regional Meeting in New Delhi in April 2025, where India’s experiences and innovations were at the centre of discussions with international leaders. At WHS, we emphasise that investing in prevention and early action is not a cost but a catalyst for stability and long-term growth.

How can India urgently respond to the growing challenges associated with an ageing population?

Pries: An ageing population combined with socio-economic disparities makes health a defining challenge for India. It needs active prevention, healthy nutrition and innovations to be prepared for the imminent health challenges. Healthy ageing needs to be included in primary care networks. This will challenge many aspects of existing health systems.

WHS is an important platform for global health discussions. US President Donald Trump’s past actions have led to uncertainty about the World Health Organization’s funding. What is the present status, and will it weaken global health efforts – for instance, while preparing for the next pandemic?

Pries: The retreat of the US from major multinational organisations and initiatives in the health sector, most notably WHO, is a blow to the international global health system. This move was radical and is estimated to lead to millions of unnecessary deaths in the most vulnerable populations worldwide. But it also exposed the need for a fundamental reform of the global health architecture. Such an architecture can no longer rely on a single donor – all nations and stakeholders must contribute according to their capacity and interests. This will also put India into a very different position. In addition, the role of the Global South must be strengthened, built on partnerships rather than aid, and, last but not least, be more effective in achieving the common goals of global well-being. The fact that UN Member States approved the Pandemic Agreement to prevent or contain a future pandemic is a very good sign.

In light of ongoing global challenges such as the Gaza crisis, Ukraine-Russia war and climate change, what are the key takeaways from WHS on advancing health equity and ensuring accessible healthcare for all?

Pries: The current global situation is indeed characterised by numerous crises and challenges. This ‘polycrisis’ environment carries the risk that we are forced to focus primarily on the seemingly most pressing and short-term risks – such as military tensions, global competition, and geopolitical rivalries. It is alarming to see that the urgency of climate change is still far too often underestimated. We are all in the same boat when it comes to the climate crisis – and yet we are still not ready to cooperate to keep it from sinking. At the World Health Summit, we enable the global health community to respond to this situation by providing a positive example of effective collaboration across countries, regions, and sectors – united by one common goal: ‘Health and Wellbeing for All Everywhere’.