There are no specific conditions as to the specific location of the research in the DAC directives. Research conducted in universities or in other public institutions in donor countries can therefore be considered as ODA as long as the research is financed by the public sector and aimed to address challenges of developing countries. For example, while there are several diseases which mainly affect developing countries, e.g. malaria, and for which the argument for ODA eligibility is rather strong, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) often pose a greater threat to the welfare of developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 85% of all deaths caused by NCDs occur in low and middle-income countries.