WHO: Tackling Non-communicable Diseases Can Save Seven Million Lives

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030, if low and lower-middle income countries invest more funds to address health challenge posed by non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

It also advised Nigeria and other lower-middle income countries to make an additional investment of less than a dollar per person every year towards the prevention and treatment of NCDs.

According to WHO, investing $1 per person per year could save seven million lives and probably generate a return of up to $230 billion by 2030 in low and lower-middle income countries

In a statement released in Geneva on Monday, WHO said it’s report, “shows 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 non-communicable diseases.”

The report stated that NCDs such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease were currently cause of seven out of every 10 deaths around the world.

The global health body lamented that the impact NCDs on lower income countries was often underestimated, despite the fact that 85 per cent of premature deaths (between ages 30-69) from NCDs occur in these countries, making them a huge health and socioeconomic burden.

The statement noted that the vast majority of these deaths could be prevented using WHO’s tried and tested NCD ‘Best Buy’ interventions.

“These 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,” it explained.

According to WHO, keeping people healthy reduces health costs, increases productivity and leads to longer and healthier lives.

The WHO report explained the best solutions to NCDs and showed how every dollar invested in scaling up ‘Best Buy’ actions in these countries could generate potentially $230 billion by 2030.

Director General of WHO, 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.”

The report further emphasised the urgency of investing in NCD prevention and management given that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how many of these diseases can worsen outcomes for COVID-19.

On his part, WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs and Injuries Michael R. Bloomberg said: “By investing in the 16 recommended ‘Best Buy’ policies, countries will not only protect people from NCDs, but also reduce the impact of infectious diseases like COVID-19 in the future.

“NCDs take a terrible health and economic toll, especially on countries that can least afford it. We know the prevention measures that work best, and hopefully this new report leads more governments to take the smart, cost-effective actions that can help save millions of lives around the world.”

Among the 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.

WHO added that 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 indicated 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.

“International donors have also begun to use the arguments to catalyse investment in this area: in 2019 the Norwegian Government launched the first ever international development strategy on NCDs.”