Unite in the fight against noncommunicable diseases
Noncommunicable diseases or NCDs like heart attacks and strokes, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases — kill about three in five people worldwide (63 percent), and cause great socioeconomic harm in all countries, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. Every year, 9 million people die too young from NCDs (under the age of 60). But implementing cost-effective interventions that reduce risk factors for NCDs will contribute up to two-thirds of the reduction in premature mortality. Global leaders urged to set a new international agenda on NCDs to take action against the epidemic, save millions of lives and enhance development initiatives. While the international community has focused on communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, the four main non-communicable diseases have emerged relatively unnoticed in the developing world and are now becoming a global epidemic. However, such diseases could be significantly reduced and prevented. Four types of noncommunicable diseases — cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases — make the largest contribution to mortality in the majority of countries. These four NCDs are largely preventable by means of interventions that tackle four risk factors for NCDs: tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol. The impact of non-communicable diseases can be prevented with an approach that incorporates cost-effective, population-wide health-care interventions to address risk factors, known as public health "best buys", and primary health-care measures to treat those who have contracted or are at high risk of contracting such diseases. The widespread implementation of such interventions, which require modest investment, can lead to quick gains in counteracting the effects of non-communicable diseases. The best buys for population-wide interventions include tobacco-control measures, including raising taxes and bans on advertising and smoking in public places; raising taxes on alcohol and enforcing bans on alcohol advertising; reducing salt intake; replacing trans-fats in foods with polyunsaturated fats; promoting public awareness about diet and physical activity; and delivering hepatitis B vaccinations. Primary health-care interventions include counselling, multi-drug therapy and screening and early treatment for cervical and breast cancers. The burden of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries goes beyond the fact that those countries are home to the world's largest populations. Unplanned urbanisation, ageing populations and the globalisation of trade and product marketing, particularly for tobacco, alcohol and food, have led to a rise in the risk factors of such diseases. The lack of healthcare capacity and social protection systems in lower-income countries means that non-communicable diseases are more likely to cause people to become sick and die from them at earlier ages. The knowledge and technology to fight the onset and effects of non-communicable diseases already exist. It is the high time to act to save future generations from the health and socio-economic harm of such diseases.
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