# 5850
Although we tend to focus on communicable diseases in this blog, in truth, in a normal year about 60% of all deaths are due to NCDs; Non Communicable Diseases.
The four biggest contributors to NCDs around the world are:
- cardiovascular disease
- cancer
- chronic lung diseases
- diabetes
Last week the World Health Organization released a detailed profile of the burden of NCDs on 193 countries, stating that (in 2008) more than 9 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occurred in those under the age of 60. And the overwhelming majority (90%) occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
Individual country NCD Profiles may be downloaded and viewed at NCD country profiles: A-Z list of country profiles.
Each country’s profile is summarized on a single page as depicted below:
The entire global report is available at:
Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2011
This week (Sept. 19th & 20th) the World Health Organization will convene an international meeting in New York City to consider the prevention and control noncommunicable diseases.
Details on that meeting can be found at:
United Nations high-level meeting on noncommunicable disease prevention and control
Date: 19-20 September 2011
Place: New York, USAFacts about NCDs
- 36 million people die annually from NCDs.
- 63% of all global deaths are due to NCDs.
- 9 million people die too young from NCDs, before the age of 60.
In an attempt to reduce the global burden of NCDs, the WHO has released a couple of studies to coincide with this meeting.
New WHO study details low-cost solutions to help curb the tide on noncommunicable diseases
Strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease for just US$ 1.20 per person per year
News release
18 September 2011 | New York | Geneva - A new WHO study reveals that low-income countries could introduce a core set of strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease for just US$ 1.20 per person per year.
"Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, killing ever more people each year. Nearly 80 per cent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries," says Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at WHO. "The challenge to these countries is tremendous, but this study proves that there are affordable steps all governments can take to address noncommunicable diseases."
The `Best Buys’ report above, prepared by the WHO, the World Economic Forum, and the Harvard School of Public Health states:
Under a “business as usual” scenario where intervention efforts remain static and rates of NCDs continue to increase as populations grow and age, cumulative economic losses to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from the four diseases are estimated to surpass US$ 7 trillion over the period 2011-2025 (an average of nearly US$ 500 billion per year).
This yearly loss is equivalent to approximately 4% of these countries’ current annual output. On a per-person basis, the annual losses amount to an average of US $25 in low-income countries, US$ 50 in lower middle-income countries and US$ 139 in upper middle-income countries.
By contrast, findings from the second study by the WHO indicate that the price tag for scaled-up implementation of a core set of NCD “best buy” intervention strategies is comparatively low.
Population-based measures for reducing tobacco and harmful alcohol use, as well as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are estimated to cost US$ 2 billion per year for all LMICs – less than US$ 0.40 per person. Individual-based NCD “best buy” interventions – which range from counselling and drug therapy for cardiovascular disease to measures to prevent cervical cancer – bring the total annual cost to US$ 11.4 billion.
On a per-person basis, the annual investment ranges from under US$ 1 in low-income countries to US$ 3 in upper middle-income countries.
To learn more about NCDs, and what can be done to reduce their impacts, the WHO provides the following links.
ABOUT NCDs
Four diseases
Four risk factors
Aside from the humanitarian aspects, as with most health issues, prevention and early intervention are far more cost effective than ignoring the problem.
