By Dan-Maryam Zayamu
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on countries across the world, especially, low and middle income countries to improve funding for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
A new report published by the WHO indicated that close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030, if low and lower-middle income countries were to make an additional investment of less than a dollar per person per year in the prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
NCDs – which include heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease currently cause 7 out of every 10 deaths around the world.
While saying that 85% of premature deaths (between ages 30-69) from NCDs occur in low- and middle-income countries, making them a huge health and socioeconomic burden, the global health body insisted that “the vast majority of those deaths can be prevented using WHO’s tried and tested NCD ‘Best Buy’ interventions.”
The Best Buy interventions, it said include cost effective measures to reduce tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol, improve diets, increase physical activity, reduce risks from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and prevent cervical cancer.
The report explained that the NCDs Best Buys show how every dollar invested in scaling up Best Buy actions in these countries could generate a return of up to USD 7 – potentially USD 230 billion by 2030.
In his reaction, the WHO Director-General , Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “With the right strategic investments, countries that bear a significant amount of the NCD burden can change their disease trajectory and deliver significant health and economic gains for their citizens.
“In a world filled with uncertainty, one thing we can be certain of is that without action, NCDs will continue to be a significant threat to global health. Investing in these evidence-based policies is an investment in a healthy future.”
On his part, the Director for NCDs at WHO, Dr Bente Mikkelsen, said: “Saving lives, spending less: the case for investing in non-communicable diseases sets out a path on which countries can follow to deliver the next generation a better and healthier world. The impact of COVID-19 on people living with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and lung diseases shows that it’s more important than ever to prioritize the investment of prevention and management of NCDs.
“We call on all our partners to follow examples like Norway, who have stepped up funding and action. In a world where financial resources are increasingly constrained, this report shows where the best investments can be made and where millions of lives can be saved.”
The report further explained that Best Buy actions include increasing health taxes, restrictions on marketing and sales of harmful products, information and education, and vaccination. They also include actions connected to managing metabolic risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, in order to prevent more severe disease or complications.
The interventions are all relatively inexpensive and require little capital investment, but could help avoid much of the high cost of treatment in future. The report also indicates that while each of the interventions can be implemented individually, the effects are stronger and produce a greater return on investment when introduced together. With marginalized groups often at greater risk from the physical and financial impact of NCDs, the interventions may also help to reduce health and economic inequalities.
The interventions, the report said, have already been used successfully in many countries around the world.
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