The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sounded the alarm that suicide is now the third leading cause of death among young people, cautioning governments that neglecting mental health and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) could cost millions of lives and shake global economies.
WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, issued the warning in a video message shared on X on Saturday, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health set for September 25 in New York.
“Noncommunicable diseases include seven of the world’s top ten causes of death, such as cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illness,” Dr. Tedros noted. “Alongside this, more than one billion people struggle with mental health conditions, and suicide has become the third leading cause of death among young people.”
The WHO chief emphasized that the consequences of these conditions extend far beyond individual tragedies, calling them an economic ticking time bomb.
