WHAT ARE NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES?

According to the World Health Organisation(WHO) Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, 74% of all deaths globally. Seventeen million people die from NCDs before age 70 and 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries while 77% of all NCD deaths, are in low- and middleincome countries according to WHO.

In a report published last month WHO further states that cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes).

NCDs are a group of non-infectious diseases, with long-term health consequences and often a need for long-term treatment and care. They include cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung illnesses.

Many NCDs can be prevented by reducing common risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, physical inactivity and eating unhealthy diets. Many other important conditions are also considered NCDs, including injuries and mental health disorders.

The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.

WHO further reports that NCDs are driven by forces that include rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles and population ageing. Unhealthy diets and a lack of physical activity may show up in people as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids and obesity. These are called metabolic risk factors and can lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading NCDs in terms of premature deaths.