Non-communicable Diseases

Non-communicable diseases (mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes) represent a leading threat to human health and development. These four diseases are the world's biggest killers, causing an estimated 35 million deaths each year - 60 per cent of all deaths globally - with 80 per cent in low- and middle-income countries.

These diseases are preventable. Up to 80 per cent of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes and over a third of cancers could be prevented by eliminating shared risk factors -mainly tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol.

Unless addressed, the mortality and disease burden from these health problems will continue to increase. WHO projects that, globally, NCD deaths will increase by 17 per cent over the next ten years. The greatest increase will be seen in the African region (27 per cent) and the Eastern Mediterranean region (25 per cent). The highest absolute number of deaths will occur in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

Information courtesy of World Health Organisation.

This disease is being researched in the following projects:

Research Projects