Group to fast-track progress towards reducing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)

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Recently ,Governments of Ghana and Norway formed the first group to fast-track progress towards reducing NCD deaths .

About 

• The decision to form the group was taken at the first International Strategic Dialogue on NCDs and the Sustainable Development Goals, held in Accra, Ghana April 12, 2022.
  • It was hosted by WHO, along with the governments of Ghana and Norway. 

• It aims to fast-track the goal to reduce by a third premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCD)
  • The target is part of the United States-mandated Sustainable Development Goals.  

• The five focus areas of the group will be:

• Implementing the most cost-effective measures to prevent and control NCDs: This will save 50 million lives by 2030
• Ensuring that the 1.7 billion people living with NCDs have access to the medicines and care they need during humanitarian emergencies
• Integrating NCDs within primary health care and universal health coverage
• Comprehensive NCD surveillance and monitoring
• Engaging 1.7 billion people living with NCDs and mental health conditions in policy-making and programming

What are Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)?

• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for almost 70% of all deaths worldwide. 
• Almost three quarters of all NCD deaths, and 82% of the 16 million people who died prematurely, or before reaching 70 years of age, occur in low- and middle-income countries.
• Causes :
  • The rise of NCDs has been driven by tobacco, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, overweight/obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar and raised cholesterol
• Consequences : 
  • The epidemic of NCDs poses devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to overwhelm health systems.
  •  The socioeconomic costs associated with NCDs make the prevention and control of these diseases a major development imperative for the 21st century.
  • The diseases kill 7 out of 10 people globally from risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and air pollution. 
  • Apart from the lives they take, NCDs take a heavy toll on economies, cutting down people in their most productive years

• Data Analysis for India 
  • According to the study report “India: Health of the Nation’s States”- The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017 by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it is estimated that the proportion of deaths due to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India have increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016. 
    • The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and diabetes which share four behavioural risk factors –unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.

• Treatment and Management 
  • NCDs are largely preventable and treatable; nearly seven million lives could be saved for just US$ 0.84 per person per year from now until 2030.
    • This investment would realise more than $230 billion in economic and societal benefits and head off nearly 10 million heart attacks and strokes globally, by 2030. 
  • Management of NCDs includes detecting, screening and treating these diseases, and providing access to palliative care for people in need.
    •  High impact essential NCD interventions can be delivered through a primary health care approach to strengthen early detection and timely treatment. 
    • Evidence shows such interventions are excellent economic investments because, if provided early to patients, they can reduce the need for more expensive treatment.
• Role of WHO
  • WHO’s mission is to provide leadership and the evidence base for international action on surveillance, prevention and control of NCDs.
  • Urgent government action is needed to meet global targets to reduce the burden of NCDs.
• Other Measures and Initiatives :  Building national capacity for NCDs requires developing the knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems and leadership to enable effective actions to be undertaken to prevent and control NCDs.
  • In the past decade, countries have expanded their capacities to respond to the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases
• Initiatives of India 
  • The Department of Health & Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), (launched in 2010) as part of National Health Mission (NHM), based on the proposals received from the States/UTs and subject to the resource envelope. 
    • The programme focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion & awareness generation for prevention, early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facility for treatment of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

• Preventive aspect of NCDs is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centre scheme, by promotion of wellness activities and targeted communication at the community level. 
• Other initiatives for increasing public awareness about NCDs and for promotion of healthy lifestyle includes observation of National & International Health Days and use of print, electronic and social media for continued community awareness. 
• Furthermore, healthy eating is also promoted through FSSAI.
•  Fit India movement is implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and various Yoga related activities are carried out by the Ministry of AYUSH. 
• In addition, NPCDCS gives financial support under NHM for awareness generation (IEC) activities for NCDs to be undertaken by the States/UTs as per their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
• The Health department is taking up a new initiative as part of the NCD Control programme to conduct population-based screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and its risk factors, covering the entire State.
  • The idea is to prepare a Statewide community registry of those above 30 years with NCDs with the support of local self- governments, so that the State has a clear estimation of the actual population suffering from various NCDs.

• Conclusion 
  • Investing in stronger health systems, service delivery and the prevention of NCDs will make vulnerable populations more resilient to COVID-19 and future pandemics
    • This is also vital for promoting universal health coverage.

Source:DTE