Expert perspectives on civil society engagement in multisectoral collaborations on prevention of non-communicable diseases in Low- and Middle- Income Countries

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of global mortality and particularly impacting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where they account for 86% of premature deaths. Targeting NCD risk factors requires a multisectoral and multistakeholder approach. However, this necessitates overcoming challenges such as limited awareness of NCD burden, lack of political will, coordination complexities, resource constraints, and industry interference. This study aimed to gain an understanding how experts in LMICs perceive the added value and advantages of involving civil society organizations (CSOs) within multisectoral multistakeholder collaborations (MSCs) targeting NCDs. Through thematic analysis of semi-structured online interviews with 37 key stakeholders across 19 LMICs, the perceived contributions of CSOs to MSCs for NCDs were explored. Six key themes were identified, namely advocacy and policy translation, leadership and bridging gaps, innovation, integrity and accountability, counteracting industry, and independence. Participants perceived CSOs as key actors in bridging knowledge gaps, raising public awareness, and mobilizing stakeholders. Findings suggest they also play an important role in monitoring, evaluating, and counteracting industry influences and therefore CSOs may act as valuable partners that strengthen leadership, governance, and resource capacities within MSCs, thereby contributing to more stable and effective collaborations.