PHM-Exch> From burden to best buys: Reducing the economic impact of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) <ruglucia at paho.org>
crossposted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


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*From burden to "best buys":
Reducing the economic impact of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries*

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*Summary: World Health Organization, September 2011*

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New WHO study details low-cost solutions to help curb the tide on
noncommunicable diseases****

Strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung
disease for just US$ 1.20 per person per year****

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Available online PDF file at: http://bit.ly/r7ZYS0

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“……- A new WHO study reveals that low-income countries could introduce a
core set of strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes
and lung disease for just US$ 1.20 per person per year. ****

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The impact of noncommunicable diseases - or NCDs - goes beyond health: their
socioeconomic effects are staggering. The cost of not taking action to
address this global threat is already severe and will intensify over time. *
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"Noncommunicable diseases are one of the leading threats to global economic
growth and development. Over the next 15 years, noncommunicable diseases
will cost low- and middle-income countries' more than US$ 7 trillion," says
Jean Pierre Rosso, Chairman, World Economic Forum (WEF), quoting the results
of a WEF and Harvard School of Public Health study released today. "When so
many of the workforce is sick and dies in their productive years, national
economies lose billions of dollars in output. And millions of families are
pushed into poverty."****

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Low-cost interventions****

The list includes measures that target the population as a whole, such as
excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, smoke-free indoor workplaces and public
places, health information and warnings, as well as campaigns to reduce salt
content and replacement of trans fats with polyunsaturated fats, along with
public awareness programmes about diet and physical activity.****

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Other tactics focus on the individual. These include screening, counselling
and drug therapy for people with or at high risk of cardiovascular disease,
screening for cervical cancer, and hepatitis B immunization to prevent liver
cancer. ****

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Many countries have already adopted these approaches, and have seen a marked
reduction in disease incidence and mortality. WHO monitored progress over
ten years in 38 countries taking steps to address cardiovascular disease at
both the population and individual level: all recorded a substantial
decrease in exposure to risk, incidence of disease and deaths. …”
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