AstraZeneca
Young Health Programme
Partnering to prevent non-communicable diseases
among young people
Why we’re working together
A UNICEF UK partner since 2019, UNICEF UK and AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme are partnering to catalyse a youth-led global movement to help prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and lung diseases and take action on the growing health impacts of climate change.
Today, NCDs are the leading cause of death worldwide , and 70% of premature adult deaths are linked to behaviours that begin in adolescence. By 2050, a staggering 86% of all annual deaths are expected to be caused by NCDs, representing a 90% increase [RB2] from 2019 levels. Many major NCD risk factors, including poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, take hold early in life, while air pollution disproportionately harms children and young people. Climate change is intensifying these challenges, affecting air quality, food systems and the environments where young people live, learn and grow.
What we’re doing
The partnership’s vision is that every young person should be able to take an active role in managing their health and prevent NCDs.
Building on its existing work in Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Belize and Jamaica, the partnership is also expanding in 2026 to work in Egypt and Thailand.
It is supporting programmes that aim to:
- Reach seven million young people with NCD prevention messages
- Support 2,000 schools and community centres to promote health and wellbeing;
- Train 2,500 frontline workers
- Activate 750,000 young leaders to advocate for change
- Help shape at least 17 laws and policies globally to improve NCD prevention and youth health outcomes
What we’ve achieved
Since 2019, the partnership has focussed on educating adolescents and decisionmakers on NCD risks and prevention, equipping young people with the skills and support to advocate for and lead change in their communities, and driving systemic change through policies, laws, and effective implementation.
The partnership has already:
- Reached 12 million adolescents with awareness raising messages,
- Trained over 300,000 young advocates to promote NCD prevention,
- Positively shaped 29 laws and policies.
In 2025 alone:
Brazil – 65,057 young people were trained to take action on the growing health impacts of climate change.
Indonesia – 370 young activists received training and support as they contributed to national policy reviews and international forums on NCD prevention.
South Africa – 1.28 million young people were educated on nutrition and NCD prevention.
Learn more about AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme
UNICEF and AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme share a vision that young people are powerful drivers of change for healthier habits and stronger health systems. This new phase of our partnership will help equip young people with the knowledge and skills to better prevent non-communicable diseases and build healthier futures.
